Last updated on August 13th, 2019 at 08:47 am

Julie and Robin Sharp met in 2007, when both were earning around £100,000 a year.  However, over the next 5 years, Julie earned huge bonuses of around £10.5 million.  She bought 2 country homes, one at a cost of £2 million with a refurbishment cost of £500k.

As the marriage progressed, however, Julie discovered that her husband had embarked upon a relationship with another woman and she filed for divorce in December 2013, offering Robin £1.2 million, which, she said, should cover his needs.  However, Robin was awarded £2.737 million in November 2015 – almost half of the ‘matrimonial pot’ (the judge reduced the amount to cover ‘unmingled’ money that Julie had amassed before the marriage).

Julie has now appealed that award, saying that it is unfair because of their ‘short, childless marriage’.  At appeal, her lawyers said that the couple did not pool their money during their marriage, but that Julie gave Robin cash and gifts, including an Aston Martin.

Robin’s lawyers argued that despite the fact that the couple maintained separate bank accounts, and Julie had paid her bonuses into her own account, it was common in some marriages for the main breadwinner to pay the other spouse housekeeping.  Robin’s lawyers also said there was plenty of evidence to show that the couple intended to pool resources.  For example, Robin had taken redundancy, project managed and carried out renovations on the two properties they had bought.

Graysons’ family law solicitor, Nicola Cancellara, says: “The three Appeal Court judges have reserved judgement and will rule on the case on a future date, yet to be fixed.  However, if the case falls in Julie Sharp’s favour, it would overturn a ruling made in 2006 which said that couples’ assets should be split in half by default, no matter how short their marriage has been.  On this occasion a woman was awarded £5 million of her husband’s £30 million fortune after two years and nine months of marriage.  We will have to wait and see!

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