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Widow of property investor Jack Dellal wins round of legal battle over estate Widow of property investor Jack Dellal wins round of legal battle over estate
(35 minutes later)
The multi-millionaire widow of a property dealer said to have gambled £1.7m in one night has won the latest round of a legal battle for “reasonable provision”.The multi-millionaire widow of a property dealer said to have gambled £1.7m in one night has won the latest round of a legal battle for “reasonable provision”.
Jack Dellal, who died in October 2012 aged 89, left his “entire” £15.4m estate to widow Ruanne Dellal, who now says that figure was an “absurd presentation” of the true scale of her husband’s wealth. She says if the fortune had “shrunk” to £15.4m he must have given money away to blood relatives without her knowledge. Jack Dellal, who died in October 2012 aged 89, left his supposedly entire £15.4m estate to his widow, Ruanne, who now says that figure was an “absurd presentation” of the true scale of her husband’s wealth. She says if the fortune had shrunk to £15.4m he must have given money away to blood relatives without her knowledge.
Related: Jack Dellal obituaryRelated: Jack Dellal obituary
On Wednesday she won an initial round of a court fight with members of her husband’s family.On Wednesday she won an initial round of a court fight with members of her husband’s family.
Jack Dellal’s 96-year-old sister Violet and six of his adult children from previous relationships had asked a judge to terminate Ruanne Dellal’s claim, arguing that she had no prospect of success. But Mr Justice Mostyn has refused and says he wants to analyse more evidence.Jack Dellal’s 96-year-old sister Violet and six of his adult children from previous relationships had asked a judge to terminate Ruanne Dellal’s claim, arguing that she had no prospect of success. But Mr Justice Mostyn has refused and says he wants to analyse more evidence.
Details of the case emerged in a ruling by the judge published after a hearing of the family division of the high court in London in March.Details of the case emerged in a ruling by the judge published after a hearing of the family division of the high court in London in March.
The judge said Jack Dellal was “legendary” … [his] obituaries make interesting reading.” The ruling continued: “He was born in the Chorlton area of south Manchester to parents who had emigrated here from Baghdad and who joined the Sephardic community which made its living on the edges of the city’s textile industry. The judge said Jack Dellal was “legendary … [his] obituaries make interesting reading”. The ruling continued: “He was born in the Chorlton area of south Manchester to parents who had emigrated here from Baghdad and who joined the Sephardic community, which made its living on the edges of the city’s textile industry.
“According to the obituary in the Daily Telegraph, ‘He was educated at Heaton Moor College, and set to work in the post-war years buying and selling cloth and dabbling in local property, before moving to London. He first came to wider prominence in the early 1970s as the force behind a fast-growing, Knightsbridge-based ‘fringe bank’, Dalton Barton Securities, which he and his business partner, Stanley Van Gelder, sold for £58m in late 1972 to Keyser Ullmann, the bank chaired by Edward du Cann, MP’.“According to the obituary in the Daily Telegraph, ‘He was educated at Heaton Moor College, and set to work in the post-war years buying and selling cloth and dabbling in local property, before moving to London. He first came to wider prominence in the early 1970s as the force behind a fast-growing, Knightsbridge-based ‘fringe bank’, Dalton Barton Securities, which he and his business partner, Stanley Van Gelder, sold for £58m in late 1972 to Keyser Ullmann, the bank chaired by Edward du Cann, MP’.
“On any view Jack was phenomenally successful. The Sunday Times Rich List stated that he was worth £580m in 2008, £480m in 2009, £500m in 2011 and £445m in 2012. Based on these and other rich lists, as well as on other evidence [Ruanne Dellal] says that at the time of his death Jack personally held, or ought to have held, a vast fortune.“On any view Jack was phenomenally successful. The Sunday Times Rich List stated that he was worth £580m in 2008, £480m in 2009, £500m in 2011 and £445m in 2012. Based on these and other rich lists, as well as on other evidence [Ruanne Dellal] says that at the time of his death Jack personally held, or ought to have held, a vast fortune.
“Jack’s will dated 15 November 2006 to all intents and purposes left his entire estate to [Ruanne Dellal]. However the disclosed assets which comprise his estate amount only to £15.4m, comprising overwhelmingly realty and personalty. There was only minimal cash and no income generating assets.“Jack’s will dated 15 November 2006 to all intents and purposes left his entire estate to [Ruanne Dellal]. However the disclosed assets which comprise his estate amount only to £15.4m, comprising overwhelmingly realty and personalty. There was only minimal cash and no income generating assets.
“[Ruanne Dellal] says that this is an absurd presentation of the true scale of his personal wealth at his death. If it had shrunk to £15.4m then in the period before his death he must have given most of it away to the defendants without her knowledge.“[Ruanne Dellal] says that this is an absurd presentation of the true scale of his personal wealth at his death. If it had shrunk to £15.4m then in the period before his death he must have given most of it away to the defendants without her knowledge.
“Therefore she commenced this claim on 10 March 2014. Her principal claim is for reasonable provision to be made for her from Jack’s estate.”“Therefore she commenced this claim on 10 March 2014. Her principal claim is for reasonable provision to be made for her from Jack’s estate.”
The judge said a lawyer representing Ruanne Dellal had outlined detail of Jack Dellal’s spending.The judge said a lawyer representing Ruanne Dellal had outlined detail of Jack Dellal’s spending.
“Jack’s casino spending and his household expenditure imply an average annual spend/income of some millions (£4.5m in 2006),” Robert Miles QC told the judge. “[Ruanne’s] evidence is that Jack’s annual household expenditure was £1.1m per annum. Further, Jack would regularly gamble and lose large amounts.”“Jack’s casino spending and his household expenditure imply an average annual spend/income of some millions (£4.5m in 2006),” Robert Miles QC told the judge. “[Ruanne’s] evidence is that Jack’s annual household expenditure was £1.1m per annum. Further, Jack would regularly gamble and lose large amounts.”
Miles added: “[Ruanne] says she regularly witnessed Jack winning or losing between £600,000 and £1m a night and says that this would happen four/five times a year.Miles added: “[Ruanne] says she regularly witnessed Jack winning or losing between £600,000 and £1m a night and says that this would happen four/five times a year.
“His gambling records bear her out. They show that in 2006 he spent £3.4m and in just one night in April 2006 Jack spent £1.7m.”“His gambling records bear her out. They show that in 2006 he spent £3.4m and in just one night in April 2006 Jack spent £1.7m.”
The judge said Jack Dellal’s sister Violet, adult children Guy, Lorraine, Diane, Gabrielle, Jasmine and Rowan and grandson Alexander, in his 30s, are opposing Ruanne Dellal’s claim.The judge said Jack Dellal’s sister Violet, adult children Guy, Lorraine, Diane, Gabrielle, Jasmine and Rowan and grandson Alexander, in his 30s, are opposing Ruanne Dellal’s claim.
“The defendants have applied to this court for an order summarily terminating the claimant’s … application without a trial,” said the judge. “Defendants [argue] that the claim should be struck out or summarily dismissed.”“The defendants have applied to this court for an order summarily terminating the claimant’s … application without a trial,” said the judge. “Defendants [argue] that the claim should be struck out or summarily dismissed.”
Tracey Angus QC, who represented most of the relatives fighting the claim, argued that Ruanne Dellal had “not identified one single disposition” at relevant times, had not identified anything which would prove “the necessary bad motive” and had “no prospect of success at trial”. Tracey Angus QC, who represented most of the relatives fighting the claim, argued that Ruanne Dellal had “not identified one single disposition” at relevant times, had not identified anything which would prove “the necessary bad motive” and had no prospect of success at trial.
But the judge said he wanted to analyse more evidence and added: “My overarching conclusion is that it would be fundamentally unjust to terminate the application at this stage before there has been a scrutiny of the underlying documents which would prove conclusively whether or not the averrals by each of the defendants that there have been no relevant dispositions in their favour are true or false.”But the judge said he wanted to analyse more evidence and added: “My overarching conclusion is that it would be fundamentally unjust to terminate the application at this stage before there has been a scrutiny of the underlying documents which would prove conclusively whether or not the averrals by each of the defendants that there have been no relevant dispositions in their favour are true or false.”