Britain’s longest divorce case ends in £6.6 million payout for wife after it’s proved husband hid significant assets

However, the resolution of finances moves on a separate timescale.  If there are disagreements, complex financial or child arrangements, and lengthy family court backlogs, and you could be looking at anything from 52 to 78 weeks.

24 year legal fight

What if, when you set off down the divorce route, you knew it would take a staggering 1,251 weeks to complete? Would you have the strength of mind, or tenacity to start, let alone continue? That’s what happened to Varsha Gohil, 61, a mum of three from north London who started divorce proceedings  from her solicitor ex-husband Bhadresh Gohil, on the basis of his adultery and unreasonable behaviour in May 2002.

At the time, she accepted a financial settlement from her then-husband – a £270,000 payout plus the family’s Peugeot – but she had suspicions that he was actually concealing the size of his wealth.

Over the next two decades her patience and hard work paid off and she was proved correct with the discovery of £28 million worth of assets hidden in corporate entities across the globe. This resulted in the culmination of what is thought to be Britain’s longest-running divorce last week, with Mrs Gohil being awarded £6.6 million from her  ex-husband’s fortune.

Justice at last

Jonathan Miller, Senior Solicitor at Alsters Kelley said. “We commend Mrs Gohil and her legal team for their determination and persistence. Sometimes it can be easier to accept the first settlement for the sake of peace of mind and prompt closure. But as this case demonstrates, if you have suspicions that all is not as it seems, then pursuing what you believe you are entitled to is not only brave, but necessary.

“Mrs Gohil never lost sight of the end goal. When in 2011 her ex-husband was found guilty of multiple money-laundering offences, forgery and conspiracy to defraud, and was subsequently jailed for a decade, she urged her legal team to dig deeper. This is when they found he had facilitated his scheme by funnelling millions through his firm’s client accounts.”

“The matter didn’t end here. In the High Court in 2023, her ex-husband maintained the assets weren’t his, effectively trying to put them out of his wife’s reach. But Mrs Gohil said that the fortune had been accumulated throughout their marriage and should have been included in his declaration of their matrimonial assets. In addition, the Criminal Prosecution Service (CPS) challenged that the full amount constituted criminal proceeds. Fortunately the judge found in Mrs Gohil’s favour and her settlement was taken from assets which were considered clean.

Fixed fee meeting for tailored divorce advice

Jonathan concluded. “When it comes to divorce, there is always a lot to think about and we appreciate that sometimes actual timings and unknown costs can often appear quite daunting. That’s why our family department now offer an initial consultation meeting at a fixed price of  £360 including VAT. At this meeting, you will meet with one of our experienced and understanding family lawyers who will listen to your situation and discuss your concerns in detail with you, providing tailored advice specific to your circumstances.”

For timely and quality advice and support from our team, please contact Jonathan Miller on 01926 356000, email jonathan.miller@alsterskelley.com to arrange a meeting soon at one of our offices in Banbury, Coventry, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton, Stratford-upon-Avon and Southam.