Lying about your finances in divorce is perjury and leaves you without a final financial clean break – because if the other side finds out AT ANY TIME they can make another application against you. Best to be clear and honest, and use a good lawyer to argue your case. Otherwise you will be looking over your shoulder in case your spouse comes after you again indefinitely. Dan Sales for the Mail Online wrote about how Screwfix millionaire faces having to hand ex-wife MORE of his fortune after already giving her his £3.25m mansion and £10.4m in cash in long running divorce feud.
- This is the latest twist in a long-running row between the divorced couple
- Mr and Mrs Goddard-Watts, both in their 50s, had reached an agreement in 2010
- But since then there have been numerous further court actions over money
A judge has been asked to decide whether a millionaire businessman – whose family founded the Screwfix chain – should hand over more money to his ex-wife.
Mr Justice Cohen is analysing the latest round of a long-running row between James Goddard-Watts and former wife Julia at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
The judge is overseeing a private trial, which is due to end next month, and has placed limits on what can be reported.
Judges have been told the former couple, who are both in their 50s, reached an agreement in 2010 after the end of their 13-year marriage.
Mr Goddard-Watts agreed his ex-wife should get a house worth £3.25 million and a £4 million lump sum.
She subsequently complained Mr Goddard-Watts had not revealed the full extent of his wealth.
A judge then concluded Mr Goddard-Watts had ‘given a false presentation’ when making the 2010 agreement, and in 2016 the businessman was told to hand Mrs Goddard-Watts more than £6 million.
Another High Court judge had analysed the case in 2015 and given the go-ahead for a review.
Mr Justice Moor had criticised Mr Goddard-Watts, who moved to Switzerland in 2010.
He said the businessman had been ‘evasive and at times misleading’ and had ‘given a false presentation’ when making the 2010 agreement.
During their marriage, Mr Goddard-Watts enjoyed a lavish lifestyle as well as becoming a keen racing driver, competing in a British GT championship at the Spa-Francorchamps track in Belgium in 1999.
Divorce through the ages: The Goddard-Watts feud in years
- 2010 – The Goddard-Watts end their 13-year marriage and Mr Goddard-Watts agreed Mrs Goddard-Watts should get a house worth £3.25 million and a £4 million lump sum.
- 2016 – After a judge review Mr Goddard-Watts is told to hand Mrs Goddard-Watts more than £6 million.
- 2018 – Mrs Goddard-Watts returned to court again and made a further complaint her ex had not given full detail about the potential value of a deal he was involved in.
- 2019 – Towards the end of the year a judge rules in her favour.
- 2022 – Mr Justice Cohen is analysing the latest round of a long-running row between James Goddard-Watts and former wife Julia at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London over money.
He had joined the family business, which originated when Jon and Jenny Goddard-Watts bought a small company that sold screws in 1981.
In the following years, they added two further companies to what was then the Woodscrew Supply Company.
Their reputation for selling a quality product grew, and in 1993 they combined the companies under the name Screwfix Direct.
In 1999, the family sold Screwfix to B&Q owner Kingfisher for £60million, and 12 years later they sold the family’s second business Toolstation to Travis Perkins.
Although Travis Perkins originally only bought a 30 per cent stake in the company for £18m in 2008, it later opted to buy out the remaining 70 per cent for a further £24m at the start of 2012.
Mrs Goddard-Watts returned to court again in 2018 and made a further complaint.
She said Mr Goddard-Watts had not given full detail about the potential value of a deal he was involved in.
A judge ruled in her favour in late 2019.
Mr Justice Holman said if the pair could not agree on a sum, a judge should again reassess evidence and decide if Mrs Goddard-Watts should get more money.
He said a case in which a woman had twice complained about ‘non-disclosure’ after a settlement was ‘vanishingly rare’ and ‘probably unique’.
We are very experienced in dealing with all things divorce. Contact us here at Penny Raby & Co if this applies to you.
