Sir Frederick Barclay: No further punishment after long-running legal battle with ex-wife
The former Telegraph owner has been locked in a long-running legal battle with his ex-wife after being ordered to pay her £100m following the end of their 34-year marriage. A High Court judge has said he still owes her the sum but said he would not punish the businessman further.
Thursday 17 August 2023 17:12, UK
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Frederick Barclay arrives at the Royal Courts Of Justice, central London, for the latest stage of litigation between him and his ex-wife
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A judge has decided not to punish high-profile businessman Sir Frederick Barclay for breaches to orders made by the High Court over money he owed to his ex-wife.
The 88-year-old has been locked in a long-running legal battle with Hiroko Barclay following the breakdown of their 34-year marriage.
The judge overseeing the dispute, Sir Jonathan Cohen, ordered Sir Frederick to give Lady Barclay, also in her 80s, lump sums totalling £100m in May 2021.
The following year he ruled Sir Frederick was in contempt of court after he failed to pay £245,000 he owed his ex-wife for legal fees and maintenance.
Sir Frederick has subsequently paid that £245,000.
On Thursday, the judge said he had decided to “make no further order by way of punishment”.
However, he said Sir Frederick still owes his former partner £100m.
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Lady Hiroko Barclay
Sir Jonathan has been told that a settlement in relation to the £100m payment was pending.
The judge had been given a figure of around £10m in relation to that settlement, but said on Thursday that he had been told a lender providing the settlement had withdrawn.
Sir Frederick was not found in contempt for not paying the £100m sum – or a first instalment of £50m – because the judge said Lady Barclay had not proved that Sir Frederick had the means to pay either amount.
However, it was ruled that Sir Frederick was in contempt by not previously paying the money he owed for legal fees and maintenance – after the judge concluded he had the means to pay those lesser sums.
Sir Frederick, whose interests included the Telegraph Media Group and the Ritz hotel in London, was among the UK’s most high-profile businessmen, along with twin brother Sir David Barclay.
Sir David died aged 86 in January 2021.
