This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29657028
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Multi-million pound divorce 'can be heard in England' | Multi-million pound divorce 'can be heard in England' |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| A multi-million pound divorce between a wealthy Malaysian couple can be heard in an English court, a judge has ruled. | A multi-million pound divorce between a wealthy Malaysian couple can be heard in an English court, a judge has ruled. |
| Laura Ashley boss Khoo Kay Peng and former beauty queen Pauline Chai have already spent £2m disputing which court should rule how the money is split. | Laura Ashley boss Khoo Kay Peng and former beauty queen Pauline Chai have already spent £2m disputing which court should rule how the money is split. |
| Ms Chai says her husband is worth £440m, something Dr Peng denies. | Ms Chai says her husband is worth £440m, something Dr Peng denies. |
| The divorce could be one of England's most expensive after a High Court judge sitting in London said it could be heard in either England or Malaysia. | The divorce could be one of England's most expensive after a High Court judge sitting in London said it could be heard in either England or Malaysia. |
| Earlier in the year a judge described the amounts spent on preliminary legal "skirmishes" as "eye-watering." | Earlier in the year a judge described the amounts spent on preliminary legal "skirmishes" as "eye-watering." |
| Dr Peng, 75, says the pair's home was in Malaysia and wants to fight his case there, however 67-year-old Ms Chai says they moved to Hertfordshire before separating last year. | Dr Peng, 75, says the pair's home was in Malaysia and wants to fight his case there, however 67-year-old Ms Chai says they moved to Hertfordshire before separating last year. |
| 'Enough in the kitty' | 'Enough in the kitty' |
| Mr Justice Holman said Dr Peng owned a "chunk" of Laura Ashley and had properties in England and Malaysia worth more than £50m. | Mr Justice Holman said Dr Peng owned a "chunk" of Laura Ashley and had properties in England and Malaysia worth more than £50m. |
| He added that Ms Chai, who was crowned Miss Malaysia 1969, could get tens of millions from the divorce. | |
| Despite the judge giving the green light for the divorce to be heard in England, as Ms Chai desires, Dr Peng has started divorce proceedings in Malaysia with a hearing due there next month. | Despite the judge giving the green light for the divorce to be heard in England, as Ms Chai desires, Dr Peng has started divorce proceedings in Malaysia with a hearing due there next month. |
| Mr Justice Bodey, sitting in the Family Division of the High Court, said he was "urging the parties with all the strength I can muster" to redouble their efforts "to reach a financial accommodation" and avoid the nightmare of a legal battle in two jurisdictions. | Mr Justice Bodey, sitting in the Family Division of the High Court, said he was "urging the parties with all the strength I can muster" to redouble their efforts "to reach a financial accommodation" and avoid the nightmare of a legal battle in two jurisdictions. |
| He added that there was "enough in the kitty" and they would be hard pushed to spend it all in their own lifetimes "even if they wanted to." | He added that there was "enough in the kitty" and they would be hard pushed to spend it all in their own lifetimes "even if they wanted to." |
| After the ruling, Ms Chai, said: "I am proud to be one of the beneficiaries of one of the greatest gifts that the English have given to the world: the rule of law." | After the ruling, Ms Chai, said: "I am proud to be one of the beneficiaries of one of the greatest gifts that the English have given to the world: the rule of law." |
| The estranged pair married in 1970 and have five children together. | The estranged pair married in 1970 and have five children together. |