Ex-wife 'too late' for share of £1.7m home

A woman who was paid £1.27 million in a divorce settlement five years ago left it too long to claim a bigger share of her husband's wealth, the Court of Appeal ruled today.

Christine Burns wanted a share of the "windfall" her former husband John picked up when he sold their home for ?1.7 million - twice its estimated value when she agreed the original settlement.

Today Lord Justice Thorpe said he had reached a "strong preliminary conclusion" that Mr Burns had breached his duty to be candid to the court about his assets.

But he said Mrs Burns knew by the end of 1999 that her ex-husband had made more on the sale of the home than the value stated but failed to have the settlement revised.

Mrs Burns was the victim of an injustice but because of the delay permission to appeal had to be refused.