TWO wives are locked in a battle over their bigamist husband’s £1.8million fortune after he secretly married both of them.
Accountant James Dinsdale died of cancer aged 55 in October 2020 – leaving second wife Margaret Dinsdale to sort his affairs.
Margaret Dinsdale discovered her late husband was already marriedChampion News Service
Supplied by Champion NewsHe was still married to first wife Victoria Fowell[/caption]
But the 41-year-old beautician found out James was still legally married to his first wife Victoria Fowell.
The discovery meant her marriage was “void” – leaving Dinsdale with no automatic right to inherit the £1.8million fortune.
Both women are now battling at the High Court after she claimed she deserved a share of the cash as she married James “in good faith”.
The court heard James married Fowell – a cosmetic dentist – in 2012 after whisking her off to Las Vegas.
But the pair never got divorced and he wed Dinsdale five years later at a Vegas chapel just 600m from his first wedding location.
Dinsdale’s lawyer said she had no clue James was still married and believed the money would be shared between her and her husband’s son William under intestacy rules.
Jonathan Davey KC added: “She understood the marriage between the deceased and Dr Fowell to have ended some time prior to the relationship between the deceased and the claimant beginning.
“We have no idea what James’ state of mind was, perhaps he didn’t realise he wasn’t divorced.
“Margaret’s assertion is that she believed the deceased to be unmarried and already divorced when she married him in good faith.”
Dinsdale has made a claim for “reasonable provision” from James’ estate under the 1975 Inheritance Act, amounting to at least half of his £1.8million.
The bid has been brought against both Fowell and James’ 28-year-old son William.
Mr Davey said James and Dinsdale had a “loving relationship” and that she looked after him “24 hours a day” after he was diagnosed with cancer.
He added: “She and James had a relatively lavish lifestyle, which was funded by his wealth and she was entirely financially dependent on the deceased,” he said.
“Dr Fowell and William Dinsdale were not being financially maintained by the deceased at the time of his death.”
The court heard Dinsdale has already reportedly received £375,000 “from the estate or in sums derived from James” but her lawyer claims the amount is £20,000.
High Court judge Master James Brightwell allocated the cash-strapped second wife £50,000 from the estate to help cover her bills and contribute towards hefty lawyers’ bills as the case progresses.
He directed there should now be a future hearing focusing on how James’ estate should be divided up between his two wives and son.
Under the Inheritance Act, payouts to those treated as a spouse or civil partner are higher than to unmarried partners of a deceased person.
Supplied by Champion NewsJames Dinsdale died of cancer in 2020[/caption]
Champion News ServiceDinsdale has launched a bid at the High Court[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
