UK Edition
Judge urges Petra Ecclestone and James Stunt to agree divorce in private
A judge has urged Petra Ecclestone and her estranged husband James Stunt to agree their divorce in private, as he warned of the potential effect on their children of a public hearing.
Judge Martin O'Dwyer commented as he set out a timetable for the dispute to be heard at London's Central Family Court.
The judge suggested "the sensible way forward" was for both sides to reach a reasonable compromise without them having to publicly give evidence and be cross-examined.
Press reports have estimated there is a £5.5billion fortune at stake in the break-up of the marriage.
Tim Bishop QC, appearing for Miss Ecclestone, Formula One tycoon Bernie Ecclestone's daughter, said she had "struggled to find a consensual approach to the dissolution of the marriage", but this had been rejected by Mr Stunt.
The judge said: "It is very unfortunate that the parents of three young children are going to engage in this particular process."
Mr Bishop replied: "It is more than unfortunate. It is absolutely scandalous.
"It is completely obvious this this marriage has irretrievably broken down. What is going on is no more than a charade."
Mr Bishop accused the estranged husband, who runs an international gold bullion firm, of seeking to hijack proceedings "for a wholly improper collateral purpose".
The judge ordered a case management hearing to take place over half a day on August 3 "to see whether there is a way forward".
He also ordered that a two-day hearing of the dispute between husband and wife should take place, if it could not be settled, on October 12-13.
He said a legal fight in public could have "repercussions for their lives and their children's lives going forward."
Judge O'Dwyer added: "Contested divorces are very unusual. Most parties are able to come to a resolution without having to come before a court to give evidence and be cross-examined."
He said contested cases were heard in public and it was "a very sad state of affairs" that the question of whether a relationship, which was essentially a private relationship, had broken down or not could not be determined between the parties.
Miss Ecclestone and Mr Stunt are expected to fight in the course of their break-up over their £158million mansion in Los Angeles and a Grade II-listed home in London's Chelsea, worth up to £100million.
At a hearing last month the family court was told Mr Stunt signed a prenuptial agreement worth £16million.
The couple married six years ago at a multi-million-pound ceremony at Odescalchi Castle, Rome, when they and 350 guests were entertained by an array of pop stars.