Hell's Kitchen chef to sue estranged wife's solicitors
29th October 2009 by: Deborah Jeff
TV chef, Marco Pierre White, has been granted permission by the High Court to take legal action against his estranged wife’s divorce lawyers over the seizure of his private documents.
Mr White will now challenge a London-based law firm for damages following Lord Justice Ward’s questioning of legal advice given to the wife, Mati, that she could take private documents from the couple’s home.
“It is not conducive to the administration of justice that such claims are simply swept under the carpet. It is in the public interest that the bounds of proper conduct be clarified,” ruled Justice Ward.
The Hell’s Kitchen chef, who unsuccessfully sought damages last year, will re-launch his campaign against Mati for misuse of confidential information and wrongful interference with property, allegedly involving 42 documents. If one party has documents belonging to the other which are relevant to the divorce proceedings, e.g bank statements, they may take copies but must return the original documents to the spouse to whom they belong.
The documents included a contract from P&O and a letter from Mr White’s daughter of a previous marriage, Letty. It is this family letter that has forced Justice Ward’s hand, claiming that its theft left “such an uncomfortable feeling that for my part I would be reluctant to shut out the claimant and deny him his day in court.”
The firm has denied the accusations, claiming it never instructed Mr White's wife to obtain the documents. It believes Mr White has no valid claim and has brought the case forward in an attempt to “hassle” Mati.
The issue arose when Mr White told his wife she would not see a penny from their relationship, adding that he would “pull the plug” and had already sold his ventures for £1.
The couple split in 2007 following seven years together and the birth of three children. They reconciled briefly earlier this year before separating again and beginning divorce proceedings.
Mr White will now challenge a London-based law firm for damages following Lord Justice Ward’s questioning of legal advice given to the wife, Mati, that she could take private documents from the couple’s home.
“It is not conducive to the administration of justice that such claims are simply swept under the carpet. It is in the public interest that the bounds of proper conduct be clarified,” ruled Justice Ward.
The Hell’s Kitchen chef, who unsuccessfully sought damages last year, will re-launch his campaign against Mati for misuse of confidential information and wrongful interference with property, allegedly involving 42 documents. If one party has documents belonging to the other which are relevant to the divorce proceedings, e.g bank statements, they may take copies but must return the original documents to the spouse to whom they belong.
The documents included a contract from P&O and a letter from Mr White’s daughter of a previous marriage, Letty. It is this family letter that has forced Justice Ward’s hand, claiming that its theft left “such an uncomfortable feeling that for my part I would be reluctant to shut out the claimant and deny him his day in court.”
The firm has denied the accusations, claiming it never instructed Mr White's wife to obtain the documents. It believes Mr White has no valid claim and has brought the case forward in an attempt to “hassle” Mati.
The issue arose when Mr White told his wife she would not see a penny from their relationship, adding that he would “pull the plug” and had already sold his ventures for £1.
The couple split in 2007 following seven years together and the birth of three children. They reconciled briefly earlier this year before separating again and beginning divorce proceedings.
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