Cooper-Hohn divorce has led to Britain’s biggest pay out – here the five largest UK settlements in history
Hedge fund titan Sir Chris Hohn will have to pay his ex-wife £337m, in what is thought to be the largest ever settlement in a UK divorce case.
His estranged wife, Jamie Cooper-Hohn, had been seeking half of Hohn's estimated £700m fortune since the summer, however Hohn offered a quarter. Both parties are thought to be considering an appeal.
It is understood Hohn has launched a parallel case against Cooper-Hohn, alleging bribery and corruption.
"Divorce capital"
Yesterday's decision will help cement London's reputation as the "divorce capital" of the world. This can be traced back to White v White, a divorce case which took place over ten years ago, where the judge said cash left over after divorcees' needs have been met should be split equally.
Here are some of the agreements the Cooper-Hohn-Hohns had to beat to take that title.
Boris Berezovsky and Galina Besharova (2011)
Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky and ex-wife Galina Besharova settled out of court for what reports estimate was a total of more than £100m – though some put the actual figure closer to £220m. The couple obtained a divorce in a 10-minute court hearing that took place in London in 2010. Their total fortune was thought to be around £500m.
John and Beverley Charman (2006)
London insurance market heavyweight John Charman settled for £48m with his former wife Beverley after a high court judge rejected his appeal against the first ruling. He had initially offered her £6m in cash but this was turned down on the basis it was not a fair settlement. Together the couple's vast fortune had totalled a dizzying £131m.
Phil Collins and Orianne Cevey (2008)
Musician Phil Collins settled with former wife of seven years Orianne Cevey for £25m in 2008. Colins and Cevey initially met on one of his tours in 1994 while she was working as a translator. In 2010 the singer told The Mirror three divorces had landed him with a bill of £42m.
Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills (2008)
A High Court judge awarded Heather Mills £24.3m in her divorce settlement with Paul McCartney in 2008. She had initially wanted £125m when the couple separated after a four-year marriage in 2006. She was granted a £16.5m cash payout and £35,000 a year in maintenance for their daughter Beatrice. The judgement revealed the former Beatle was worth a reported £400m.
Michelle and Scot Young (2013)
Michelle Young was awarded a £20m court settlement after a seven-year legal battle in 2013. She had been seeking half of her then-husband's assets but claimed they had been hidden away in a series of secret investments. Mr Young had initially offered his wife a sum of £300m in 2009 – however a year later he claimed to have gone bankrupt.