2008 Woodie Awards
Judge in McCartney divorce says Heather Mills was 'explosive and volatile'
By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: World
LONDON - A judge's ruling in the bitter Paul McCartney-Heather Mills divorce case shed new light yesterday on a miserable marriage, saying Mills twisted the truth when convenient and made "exorbitant" financial demands.
"To some extent she is her own worst enemy," wrote Judge Hugh Bennett. "She has an explosive and volatile character."
Mills, who lost part of her leg when she was hit by a motorcycle, cast McCartney as an abusive, alcoholic husband who cruelly made fun of her disability. But the judge made clear the angry assertions rang hollow.
In a devastating indictment, Bennett called Mills' testimony "not just inconsistent and inaccurate, but also less than candid. Overall she was a less than impressive witness."
By contrast, the judge praised McCartney, 65, for "consistent, accurate and honest" testimony in the ruling, made public after he rejected Mills' attempt to block its release.
Calling Mills' demand of $250 million from McCartney "exorbitant" in light of their four-year marriage, the judge said her claims may have been inflated because of her estranged husband's stature.
"The wife ... must have felt rather swept off her feet by a man as famous as the husband," he wrote. "I think this may well have warped her perception, leading her to indulge in make-believe. The objective facts do not support her case."
He said Mills, 40, had "unreasonably" expected that she would be able to live the deluxe McCartney lifestyle for the rest of her life even after she divorced the pop star.
"Although she strongly denied it, her case boils down to the syndrome of 'me too' or 'if he has it, I want it, too,'" he wrote in awarding Mills $48.6 million.
Mills maintained she needed $6.4 million a year for herself and her daughter, Beatrice, as well as multi-million dollar properties in London and New York, and money for an office in Brighton, on England's south coast.
Instead, the judge said Mills could get by on $1.2 million a year and one property, worth $5 million, in London.
"To some extent she is her own worst enemy," wrote Judge Hugh Bennett. "She has an explosive and volatile character."
Mills, who lost part of her leg when she was hit by a motorcycle, cast McCartney as an abusive, alcoholic husband who cruelly made fun of her disability. But the judge made clear the angry assertions rang hollow.
In a devastating indictment, Bennett called Mills' testimony "not just inconsistent and inaccurate, but also less than candid. Overall she was a less than impressive witness."
By contrast, the judge praised McCartney, 65, for "consistent, accurate and honest" testimony in the ruling, made public after he rejected Mills' attempt to block its release.
Calling Mills' demand of $250 million from McCartney "exorbitant" in light of their four-year marriage, the judge said her claims may have been inflated because of her estranged husband's stature.
"The wife ... must have felt rather swept off her feet by a man as famous as the husband," he wrote. "I think this may well have warped her perception, leading her to indulge in make-believe. The objective facts do not support her case."
He said Mills, 40, had "unreasonably" expected that she would be able to live the deluxe McCartney lifestyle for the rest of her life even after she divorced the pop star.
"Although she strongly denied it, her case boils down to the syndrome of 'me too' or 'if he has it, I want it, too,'" he wrote in awarding Mills $48.6 million.
Mills maintained she needed $6.4 million a year for herself and her daughter, Beatrice, as well as multi-million dollar properties in London and New York, and money for an office in Brighton, on England's south coast.
Instead, the judge said Mills could get by on $1.2 million a year and one property, worth $5 million, in London.
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