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Stephen Pollard

ByStephen Pollard, Stephen Pollard

Opinion

Compelling but plain wrong

March 18, 2008 24:00
1 min read

No doubt there is a legal reason why I am wrong, but having read the full judgement in the Mills/McCartney divorce, it seems to me that however awful Heather Mills might be, she has a pretty convincing argument that it should not be made public.

First off, the judge is damning in his appraisal of her: Having watched and listened to her give evidence, having studied the documents, and having given in her favour every allowance for the enormous strain she must have been under (and in conducting her own case) I am driven to the conclusion that much of her evidence, both written and oral, was not just inconsistent and inaccurate but also less than candid. Overall she was a less than impressive witness. He then goes on to demolish her claims about her success and wealth. And it is, I have to admit, pretty engrossing reading someone's probity and stories being taken apart by a judge

But should it be? Why should I, or anyone else, be allowed to read the intimate details of their marriage and their wealth, simply because they are divorcing? And why must their addresses be published? Isn't that plain wrong? It's a private matter. It ought to stay that way.