Estranged husband of ‘fabulously wealthy’ Swedish multi-millionairess, 33, AVOIDS jail after judge blasted him for failing to appear at hearings during bitter divorce battle that saw her ordered to pay him £6.5million plus £60,000 a year
- Martin Wennberg, 39, had been married to Louise Backstrom, 33, for 6 years
- He was given a suspended jail sentence after being found in contempt of court
The estranged husband of a ‘fabulously’ wealthy Swedish multi-millionairess has avoided jail after breaching court orders during a bitter divorce battle.
Martin Wennberg, 39, and Louise Backstrom, 33, have been embroiled in a private family court dispute in London following the breakdown of their 6-year marriage in 2021.
Mr Justice Peel, who described Ms Backstrom as ‘fabulously wealthy’, gave Mr Wennberg a 12-week suspended jail sentence after concluding in March that he was in contempt of court.
The judge said he was ‘guilty’ of ’10 separate breaches’ of orders made during the litigation and handed down a sentence earlier today.
He also ordered Mr Wennberg to pick up legal bills – estimated by lawyers to be in the region of £200,000 – run up by Ms Backstrom, who is worth £250million.
Martin Wennberg (pictured right), 39, who is the estranged husband of a ‘fabulously’ wealthy Swedish multi-millionairess Louise Backstrom (pictured left), 33, has avoided jail after breaching court orders during a bitter divorce battle
Mr Wennberg was not at the hearing and was not represented by lawyers, while Ms Backstrom did attend the hearing.
The 39-year-old had previously written to the judge asking for an adjournment.
Mr Justice Peel said Mr Wennberg had breached orders relating to the provision of financial information – and orders aimed at keeping information confidential.
He described Mr Wennberg’s conduct during the litigation as ‘unacceptable’ and said a fine would not be a ‘satisfactory’ penalty.
A barrister representing Ms Backstrom had told the judge at an earlier hearing that Mr Wennberg’s ‘lack of compliance’ with court orders was ‘egregious’.
‘Not only has the husband failed to provide the documentation as directed but he has not provided any explanation as to why,’ Michael Glaser KC said. ‘The breaches are clear and obvious.’
Another judge had made decisions about the division of money earlier this summer.
Deputy High Court judge Leslie Samuels had concluded that Ms Backstrom was worth about £250 million and ruled that she should hand her estranged husband more than £6.5 million, following the breakdown of their six-year marriage.
Mr Wennberg and Ms Backstrom (pictured outside the Royal Courts of Justice) have been embroiled in a private family court dispute in London following the breakdown of their 6 year marriage in 2021
He was told that Ms Backstrom and Mr Wennberg were Swedish but lived in England and heard that she was involved in a family business started and controlled by her grandfather.
Mr Wennberg had wanted a financial package worth more than £40 million but Judge Samuels ruled against him.
Judge Samuels heard how Ms Backstrom had made a £6.5 million ‘housing fund’ offer in accordance with the terms of a prenuptial agreement – and concluded that the agreement should carry ‘full weight’.
He said Ms Backstrom should also hand over about £60,000 a year over the next six years to meet Mr Wennberg’s ‘income needs’.
Source: Read Full Article
