Receptionist Collapses In Courtroom After Being Told She Is Not Entitled to Her Ex Boyfriends Money
A receptionist collapsed in court and needed medical assistance after she failed to land half of her ex-partner’s huge property empire.
Gillian Turner, 53, had sued her ex, Michael Durant, 61, claiming he reneged on promises to marry her and cut her into his property tycoon Lodge House Ltd.
But Judge Alan Johns QC ruled Mr Durant never agreed to cut her into his property firm.
He told Central London County Court he found it ‘hard to believe’ such a deal would not have been put in writing.
Court staff rushed to give Ms Turner first aid as she passed out on her desk after the judgement was given.
Judge Alan Johns QC ruled at Central London County Court that Mr Durant never agreed to cut Ms Turner into his property firm.
The court heard the receptionist was in a ‘stormy relationship’ with Mr Durant from the 1980s to 2014. They had a son together and, in 2004, oved into a £1.1million home in Cuffley, near Cheshunt in Hertfordshire.
Ms Turner claimed the former bricklayer made the promise to hand over 50% of the business if she invested her £200,000 life savings into their new house – but this was rejected by Judge Johns.
He said: ‘That there is no trace of the agreement in documents… is particularly striking in circumstances where Ms Turner clearly did not trust Mr Durant.
‘It is hard to believe, with that lack of trust, that she would have simply rested on his word to transfer the business without getting anything in writing.’
He added there was a ‘complete absence’ of documents to support Ms Turner’s claims.
Ms Turner previously told the court: ‘He was saying how this was a new start for us and how much he loved me. He also said we are going to get married. I always lived in hope that we would stay together. I thought it was forever.
‘I’m not sure as to the company’s value, but he said things were doing very well, he had lots of rental property, he was buying lots of land, and building seven bungalows, and they were going to sell for £250,000 each.’
But Mr Durant told the court he was the ‘sole breadwinner’ and had paid the £250,000 mortgage.
Ms Turner has been ordered to pay the legal costs of the case, which is likely to be tens of thousands of pounds.
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