Saudi $5.7bn sheikh must divorce wife in recognised court

The former wife of a Saudi billionaire sheikh has won the right to take her divorce battle to court, hoping for a generous pay-out from his $5.7bn fortune.

Christina Estrada, who once featured as a model on the Pirelli calendar, this week walked her husband of 13 years down the aisle of the High Court where he attempted to hide behind a claim of diplomatic immunity, as one does.

Sheikh Walid Jufalli, who owns £140million worth of property in the UK, believed British divorce laws should not be applied to him - despite his permanent residency in the country.

The 60-year-old Saudi business tycoon insisted his position as St Lucia's representative to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) should grant him complete immunity from his former wife's divorce ambitions.

Dr Juffali has not, in any real sense, taken up his appointment... It is an entirely artificial construct

But the High Court judge rejected the claims, describing his attempt as "spurious' and 'entirely artificial".

"I am satisfied that what has transpired here is that [Dr Juffali] has sought and obtained a diplomatic appointment with the sole intention of defeating [Ms Estrada's] claims consequent on the breakdown of their marriage," Mr Justice Hayden declared.

"Dr Juffali has not, in any real sense, taken up his appointment, nor has he discharged any responsibilities in connection with it. It is an entirely artificial construct."

The marriage allegedly broke apart in Saudi Arabia after the sheikh repeated "I divorce you" three times, as per Islamic law as interpreted in Saudi Arabia.

But Estrada, 53, says Saudi Arabian law did not permit her to sue the Sheikh and used an "overseas divorce" policy to escape the Middle Eastern country.

Jufalli's legal team vowed to appeal the decision, which they described as "deeply offensive, not least in its conclusion that his [Jufalli] appointment to the International Maritime Organisation is an artifice.

"He does not believe that the English justice system has performed its duties in an appropriate manner in this case, nor that an English judge has the capacity or right to intrude on matters relating to the diplomatic arrangements and/or appointments of another state. If this decision is upheld, it will set a dangerous precedent for diplomats everywhere."

Estrada, who already receives $100,000 a month from her former spouse, naturally welcomed the decision, and said "it is crucially important that there should not be abuse and misuse of diplomatic immunity".