A software tycoon has accused his wife of being a ‘psychopath’ while she has called him ‘cruel, spiteful and wicked’ in an extraordinarily bitter £5million divorce battle. Anthony Colborne, 53, claims their three teenage children have not asked to see their mother, Lynda, 60, since the split and argues that he should keep their £1.6million six-bedroom home. But the entrepreneur is accused of conducting his financial affairs ‘with arrogant contempt’ for his estranged wife and the court, as well as hiding his assets. Dispute: Anthony Colborne (left) claims their three teenage children have not asked to see their mother, Lynda (right), 60, after the split . Mrs Colborne’s barrister Nicholas Starks has alleged that Mr Colborne sold off foreign investments without consulting her and hid assets worth £800,000 out of a £5million-plus pot. ‘In short, the husband is a law unto himself … [and] does not consider the wife to have made any contribution to the marriage worthy of recognition,’ said Mr Starks. The case has reached the Court of Appeal after a judge ruled earlier this year that the wife should keep their house in leafy Wargrave in Berkshire, as well as £16,000 and all of her husband’s pension. Appealing, Mr Colborne claims this is not fair as he is bringing up their three children, including 16-year-old twin girls, since they separated. ‘The children expressed great relief at not having [Mrs Colborne] in the family home with all the turmoil [she] brought,’ he said in a court statement. ‘The children have subsequently taken very little interest in their mother and have never asked to visit their mother.’ And his barrister, Simon Calhaem, said: ‘It was not appropriate for the judge simply to ignore the fact that the children live with their father and do not see their mother. ‘To do so was to fail to address properly or at all how they will be housed or clothed and fed, and have their school fees met.’ Mr Colborne says he should keep the £1.6million six-bedroom family home on this road in Wargrave, Berkshire . Hearing: The case reached the Court of Appeal (pictured) in London after a judge earlier this year ruled that the wife should get their house in Wargrave, £16,000 and all her husband’s pension . The court heard the couple married in 1995, separated in 2011 and divorced earlier this year. In 2007, Mr Colborne sold his £5million share in the flourishing software company he set up a decade earlier and says he has not worked since. He claims that he has a loss-making coffee shop in Wargrave, and investments in Morocco which have not yet paid off. But Mrs Colborne has accused him of hiding assets, including proceeds of the sale of two flats in north Africa. She said that while she was stuck in rented accommodation and living off the generosity of friends, he could still enjoy their previous lifestyle. Mr Starks said Mr Colborne had engaged in ‘spiteful and wicked’ denigration of his ex-wife. That included his repeated ‘psychopath’ remarks in a court statement. Mr Colborne failed to provide requested information about money and would ‘stop at nothing’ to get what he wants, the barrister added. As the case stands, with Mr Colborne keeping the Moroccan assets, his share would be worth about £3million, Mr Starks claimed. He said it would be ‘manifestly unfair’ to Mrs Colborne, and not in the children’s interests, if she were left as the ‘poor relation’. Mr Colborne denies hiding any of the couple’s assets, claiming that the money was used for school fees, mortgage payments, overdrafts and other joint responsibilities. He says his ex-wife was handed all of their UK and liquid wealth, while he was left with ‘illiquid and speculative’ assets in the form of incomplete Moroccan property developments. He disputes the value of the assets he retains. The Court of Appeal will rule on the case at a later date.
Anthony Colborne, 53, claims three children have not asked to see mother .
Says he should keep £1.6m six-bedroom house in Wargrave, Berkshire .
Ex-wife accuses him of 'arrogant contempt' for her and hiding his assets .
A software tycoon has accused his wife of being a ‘psychopath’ while she has called him ‘cruel, spiteful and wicked’ in an extraordinarily bitter £5million divorce battle. Anthony Colborne, 53, claims their three teenage children have not asked to see their mother, Lynda, 60, since the split and argues that he should keep their £1.6million six-bedroom home. But the entrepreneur is accused of conducting his financial affairs ‘with arrogant contempt’ for his estranged wife and the court, as well as hiding his assets. Dispute: Anthony Colborne (left) claims their three teenage children have not asked to see their mother, Lynda (right), 60, after the split . Mrs Colborne’s barrister Nicholas Starks has alleged that Mr Colborne sold off foreign investments without consulting her and hid assets worth £800,000 out of a £5million-plus pot. ‘In short, the husband is a law unto himself … [and] does not consider the wife to have made any contribution to the marriage worthy of recognition,’ said Mr Starks. The case has reached the Court of Appeal after a judge ruled earlier this year that the wife should keep their house in leafy Wargrave in Berkshire, as well as £16,000 and all of her husband’s pension. Appealing, Mr Colborne claims this is not fair as he is bringing up their three children, including 16-year-old twin girls, since they separated. ‘The children expressed great relief at not having [Mrs Colborne] in the family home with all the turmoil [she] brought,’ he said in a court statement. ‘The children have subsequently taken very little interest in their mother and have never asked to visit their mother.’ And his barrister, Simon Calhaem, said: ‘It was not appropriate for the judge simply to ignore the fact that the children live with their father and do not see their mother. ‘To do so was to fail to address properly or at all how they will be housed or clothed and fed, and have their school fees met.’ Mr Colborne says he should keep the £1.6million six-bedroom family home on this road in Wargrave, Berkshire . Hearing: The case reached the Court of Appeal (pictured) in London after a judge earlier this year ruled that the wife should get their house in Wargrave, £16,000 and all her husband’s pension . The court heard the couple married in 1995, separated in 2011 and divorced earlier this year. In 2007, Mr Colborne sold his £5million share in the flourishing software company he set up a decade earlier and says he has not worked since. He claims that he has a loss-making coffee shop in Wargrave, and investments in Morocco which have not yet paid off. But Mrs Colborne has accused him of hiding assets, including proceeds of the sale of two flats in north Africa. She said that while she was stuck in rented accommodation and living off the generosity of friends, he could still enjoy their previous lifestyle. Mr Starks said Mr Colborne had engaged in ‘spiteful and wicked’ denigration of his ex-wife. That included his repeated ‘psychopath’ remarks in a court statement. Mr Colborne failed to provide requested information about money and would ‘stop at nothing’ to get what he wants, the barrister added. As the case stands, with Mr Colborne keeping the Moroccan assets, his share would be worth about £3million, Mr Starks claimed. He said it would be ‘manifestly unfair’ to Mrs Colborne, and not in the children’s interests, if she were left as the ‘poor relation’. Mr Colborne denies hiding any of the couple’s assets, claiming that the money was used for school fees, mortgage payments, overdrafts and other joint responsibilities. He says his ex-wife was handed all of their UK and liquid wealth, while he was left with ‘illiquid and speculative’ assets in the form of incomplete Moroccan property developments. He disputes the value of the assets he retains. The Court of Appeal will rule on the case at a later date.
claims their three teenage children have not split and argues that he should keep their financial affairs ‘with arrogant contempt’ for hiding his assets. Dispute: Anthony Colborne not asked to see their mother, Lynda (right), 60, should keep their house in leafy Wargrave in