The whole thing blasts the eye and at times half deafens the ear
Boris Johnson is to hire a financial expert from the City to scrutinise the spiralling budget for the 2012 Olympics
More...
£700 for every hour of the marriage ... and Heather Mills is STILL moaning
Last updated at 14:00pm on 18.03.08She was less than four minutes into the rant when everyone started to pray for another gagging order.
Surely Heather Mills couldn't drag out much longer a simple statement to convey her joy that the case was over and that she was more than £24million richer?
Oh yes she could. She was centre stage now and she wasn't going to let the moment pass.
Scroll down for more...
Heather Mills launched an astonishing tirade after securing £24.3 million in her divorce
In a remarkable performance on the steps of the High Court, she gave a triumphant wave for the cameras - and delivered her account of the settlement with barely concealed venom for the way it had come about.
Her 12 minute rant came after Miss Mills had thrown water over her former husband's lawyer Fiona Shackleton and then laughingly announced that she had been "baptised in court."
Thumbs up: Ms Mills leaving court today
It brought to a close the secretive and acrimonious wrangling over their broken marriage and Heather's financial future.
Or rather it would have done, had not the 40-year-old ex-model announced her determination to appeal today against the judge's decision to make details of the case public.
So her obvious anger was directed mostly at that, and not at the amount of money she managed to cream from the Macca fortune for herself and their daughter Beatrice.
But good grief, it took her long enough to say it.
Across the marble floor of the High Court came the Fab One, down the front steps with a catwalk wiggle and a flick of her hair.
She wore a blood-red blouse and a satisfied smile. She was pleased the case was over and she had secured "an incredible result". But she was clearly furious at the way details of the judgement were being released.
Poor old Heather. Here she was with a mere £24million settlement, probably enough to buy only a few streets in her native Tyne and Wear.
Who could blame the girl if she felt bitter? But no. She was "very, very happy" with the financial settlement, she told us - even though it emerged that she had sought nearly £125million, and that her former husband had offered £15.8million.
From the Heather Mills manual of marriage guidance came this advice: couples should always do their best to resolve their problems instantly.
"Anybody wanting to go through a divorce, try your hardest, man or woman, to settle it immediately.
"And if you're in an impossible situation - which anybody listening will know that, people don't see eye to eye, things get out of hand - you can be a litigant in person."
Scroll down for more...
Jubilant: Ms Mills celebrates her victory with her sister Fiona
The former model addressed the media on the steps of London's High Court today
"The power of one" was how she described it. She labelled herself as "a campaigning girl" and urged others not to be frightened to represent themselves in court, even though, she insisted, the legal system didn't approve of it.
Two years preparing for this day had made her impressively fluent in legal-speak (albeit with a Geordie twang that made the word "litigant" delightfully difficult to distinguish).
On and on she went. On the TV screens, only reporters and policemen could be seen in the background.
Scroll down for more...
Soaked: Miss Mills threw water over her former husband's lawyer Fiona Shackleton then laughingly announced that she had been 'baptised in court'
It made it look at first as if she was alone, a fitting image for her unrepresented battle against the McCartney might and millions.
In fact she was there with her sister Fiona - whom she introduced as a tireless supporter of her crusade - plus a minder and that essential chaperone for anyone contemplating a similar court battle, her personal trainer.
It was Fiona, at her side, who prompted her from time to time when Heather appeared to leave out some of the tastier titbits from the settlement.
Scroll down for more...
Judgement day: McCartney with high-powered lawyer Fiona Shackleton who has been in charge of the protracted and tense settlement negotiations
The judge had found no evidence that McCartney was worth more than £400million, for example, even though "everyone knows" he's been worth twice that for the last 15 years, Heather asserted.
The payout? That would be used to secure her own and her daughter's future, she said.
She also planned to "make a difference" with some of the charities she supported. It took her only 33 words before she mentioned that.
Later she suggested the £600,000 she saved in legal fees might easily have gone to charity, although she didn't specify one.
Particular poison was reserved for Sir Paul's lawyer, Fiona Shackleton. Miss Mills spoke her name with the same kind of disgust that an estranged wife normally reserves for the other woman.
"Fiona Shackleton has very sadly handled this in the worst manner you could ever, ever imagine. She has called me many, many names before even meeting me when I was in a wheelchair."
Of course, the world would never have heard any of this had the judgement remained private.
Scroll down for more...
Sir Paul looked tired and worn as he left court this afternoon
"I wouldn't even be standing here," Heather insisted, because there was a gagging order on her not to reveal marital confidences.
Well all right then. Maybe just a little one from post-separation days. "I wasn't allowed to look at what we spent," Heather told us.
"I was locked out of every home. I won't go into all the horrific details of what has happened because I'm just glad it's over."
And so was everyone else. She had already delivered something approaching 2,000 words.
More is to follow. Today she begins her battle to suppress the court ruling, or at least try to keep some of the personal detail out of the public domain. And after that?
"I really hope now that me and my daughter can have a life and not be followed every single day. That's why I've come out - to give it closure."
Somehow, you got the feeling the Heather Mills story might not be closed quite yet.
Reader views (92)
Here's a sample of the latest views published. You can click view all to read all views that readers have sent in.
She made a lot of money just by marrying a man who made a lot of money just by virtue of royalties and copyright laws.. Sat on his backside most of his "career" just letting it roll in.
I wonder how much truth there is in "money cant buy me love", or "I've been working like a dog"?
These amounts of wealth came about by the public being ripped off by the grasping and exploitative music industry in the first place.
Its funny how things all come down to money one way or another in the family courts.
Just goes to show, the obscene gulf between the rich and the poor does not serve to make them immune to such rather pointless arguments.
I somehow doubt that Paul would have suffered in any material way had he chucked this gold-digger the money she wanted. But, he'd obviously rather clutch onto his obscene wealth with both hands..
They are as bad as each other. They knew what they were getting into, both adults, apparently. The court is not the place to decide these matters.
- Drex, Manchester, England
just another ageing scheming gold digger,would love to see someone do the same to her ,but is probably to crafty to let that happen,feel so sorry that Macca has had to go through this to get rid of her
- Charles D, Swansea, Wales
Only a complete idiot would show any type of support for this vile woman.
The majority of the world is pleased that Sir Paul McCartney won the day and that good overcame the evil that is Heather Mills.
She appears to have lied about so much in her life that she actually believes those lies. And so might a few individuals who can still be conned by this woman. But is the con over?
Heather has stated that she will give 80% of her financial gain to charity. Well, there is no time like the present.
- Anthony Bailey, Higham
10°c
15°c
