The Hereford Times

Judge to finalise McCartney divorce

6:40am Monday 12th May 2008

A High Court judge is due to draw a line under the ill-fated marriage of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills.

In contrast to the hullabaloo surrounding the couple's bitter battle over the money for a divorce settlement earlier this year, it will be a quick uncontested pronouncement of a decree nisi by the Family Division judge in charge of the case, Mr Justice Bennett.

The pair are not expected to attend the hearing and, in the absence of any agreed waiver of the normal rules, must wait six weeks and one day before the decree is made absolute.

Their battle over money ended on March 17 with Ms Mills receiving £24.3 million from Sir Paul, whose fortune was put by the judge at £450 million.

The following day the judge released full details of his ruling, despite a last ditch attempt by Ms Mills to stop its publication.

The former Beatle's wife was criticised in the judgment for giving "inconsistent and inaccurate" evidence.

Mr Justice Bennett said she had conducted her own defence "with courteous, yet steely determination" after earlier sacking her own lawyers. But he concluded: "Overall she was a less than impressive witness."

In contrast, the judge praised Sir Paul for giving balanced evidence during the six-day hearing.

"He expressed himself moderately, though at times with justifiable irritation, if not anger," the judge said. "He was consistent, accurate and honest."

Sir Paul, 65, married former model and charity campaigner Miss Mills, 40, in 2002, four years after his first wife Linda died of breast cancer. Mills and McCartney separated four years later. They have a daughter, Beatrice, aged four.