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| Divorce ruling: Women await hidden wealth decision | Divorce ruling: Women await hidden wealth decision |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two women who want their divorce settlements increased because they say their ex-husbands misled courts are to hear the Supreme Court's ruling later. | Two women who want their divorce settlements increased because they say their ex-husbands misled courts are to hear the Supreme Court's ruling later. |
| Alison Sharland and Varsha Gohil say the men hid the true extent of their wealth when the deals were made. | Alison Sharland and Varsha Gohil say the men hid the true extent of their wealth when the deals were made. |
| The BBC's Clive Coleman said it was the "first time in a generation" the court had examined how much a person can lie about assets before a divorce deal can be scrapped or re-negotiated. | The BBC's Clive Coleman said it was the "first time in a generation" the court had examined how much a person can lie about assets before a divorce deal can be scrapped or re-negotiated. |
| It is a "vexed issue" in law, he said. | It is a "vexed issue" in law, he said. |
| If the court rules in favour of the women, it could pave the way for many more people to seek to re-negotiate settlements. | If the court rules in favour of the women, it could pave the way for many more people to seek to re-negotiate settlements. |
| Hidden wealth | Hidden wealth |
| Ms Sharland, from Wilmslow in Cheshire, accepted £10m in her 2010 divorce from her husband Charles, a software entrepreneur. | |
| Under the settlement, she would also receive 30% of the proceeds of shares held by her husband in his company, when he sold them. | Under the settlement, she would also receive 30% of the proceeds of shares held by her husband in his company, when he sold them. |
| She believed that represented half of his wealth. | She believed that represented half of his wealth. |
| But it later transpired he had lied about his company's value, as well as plans to float it on the stock market. | But it later transpired he had lied about his company's value, as well as plans to float it on the stock market. |
| The financial press valued it at about £600 million - but the Court of Appeal ruled the misleading evidence would not have led to a significantly different divorce settlement. | The financial press valued it at about £600 million - but the Court of Appeal ruled the misleading evidence would not have led to a significantly different divorce settlement. |
| Ms Gohil, from north London, accepted £270,000 and a car as a settlement when she divorced her husband Bhadresh in 2002. | |
| In 2010, Mr Gohil was convicted of money laundering and jailed for 10 years. | In 2010, Mr Gohil was convicted of money laundering and jailed for 10 years. |
| At his criminal trial, evidence revealed he had failed to disclose his true wealth during divorce proceedings. | At his criminal trial, evidence revealed he had failed to disclose his true wealth during divorce proceedings. |
| However, the Court of Appeal ruled that information that emerged at his criminal trial could not be used to overturn the couple's settlement. | However, the Court of Appeal ruled that information that emerged at his criminal trial could not be used to overturn the couple's settlement. |