THE latest round of a High Court battle between Sir Frederick Barclay – the owner of a mock-Gothic castle on the island of Brecqhou – and his ex-wife was adjourned yesterday, after the billionaire made a ‘proposal’.
The court previously ruled that the 88-year-old should pay his spouse of 34 years, Lady Hiroko Barclay, lump sums totalling £100m as part of divorce proceedings. Lady Barclay, who had petitioned for divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour, subsequently returned to court to claim that Sir Frederick had not paid a penny of the money owed – despite allegedly having access to funds through a complex web of offshore trusts.
In August, the court heard that £245,000 had been paid, but that there was ‘still no plan for payment’ for the full £100m.
The latest round of legal proceedings, a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court, was due to be heard yesterday by Sir Jonathan Cohen.
According to national media reports, the case is listed as an ‘application by Lady Hiroko Barclay for the committal to prison of Sir Frederick Hugh Barclay’.
However, Sir Jonathan adjourned proceedings until 6 March after a barrister representing Lady Barclay told him that Sir Frederick had made a ‘proposal’.
National media also reported that Stewart Leech KC, representing Lady Barclay, said she would not take any further enforcement action before that hearing.
Sir Jonathan said it was ‘absolutely essential’ that Lady Barclay was ‘properly provided for’.
