An Irish woman battling for millions of pounds in a divorce court fight with her wealthy estranged Iranian husband has told a High Court judge that she was threatened with ‘house arrest’ at their home in Dubai after he learned she was having an affair.
Businessman Mehrdad Radseresht, 72, says Barbara Spain-Radseresht, 49, who used to work in the travel industry, agreed to a divorce when they lived in the Middle East more than seven years ago.
Mrs Spain-Radseresht, who comes from Dublin and now lives in London, disputes his claim and says she is entitled to a fair share of a marital fortune she says runs into tens of millions of pounds.
A High Court judge has been asked to make decisions about the validity of the marriage.
Barbara Spain -Radseresht (left) says husband Mehrdad Radseresht (right) ‘threatened her with house arrest’ and ‘dragged her by the hair’ when he learned she had an affair in 2009
Mr Justice Cohen is analysing evidence at public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
He said the couple could be named.
Mr Radseresht says they had reached a divorce settlement agreement in Dubai in 2009 after Mrs Spain-Radseresht was unfaithful.
Mrs Spain-Radseresht says she was tricked into signing paperwork.
She said she only found out about the ‘alleged Dubai divorce’ a year ago when she made a separate divorce application.
The judge was told that a private investigator hired by Mr Radseresht discovered that Mrs Spain-Radseresht was having an affair in 2009.
Mrs Spain-Radseresht said on Wednesday that her husband threatened her with ‘house arrest’ and dragged her around by her hair after learning of the affair.
She told the judge: ‘This was a terrifying experience,’ but added they had ‘started afresh’ and moved to London.
Their case has reached the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice, which will decide the ‘validity’ of their marriage
Mrs Spain-Radseresht said Mr Radseresht was ‘always abusive’.
‘He gets very angry, then he gets very nice,’ she added.
‘I am very used to him changing from being very, very nasty to very, very nice.’
Mr Radseresht denies Mrs Spain-Radseresht’s abuse allegations.
He shook his head from his seat at the back of the court as she gave evidence.
Mr Justice Cohen has heard how the couple had lived in Dubai, Iran, London and California.
Mrs Spain-Radseresht also told of ‘two palaces’ in Iran with a combined value of more than £5 million and a home in Ireland.
The hearing continues and is expected to end later this week.