A UK accountant has filed a lawsuit against her ex-husband, accusing him of age discrimination and claiming that he left her for a younger woman, according to Metro. Eleanor Belson, 60, alleged that her former Olympian husband, Tim Belson, 72, was being ageist when he ended their marriage and fired her from his jewelry firm, where she worked as a bookkeeper.
The couple split up two-and-a-half years ago, and since then, Ms. Belson has brought four separate cases against her ex-partner. The first case was filed in April 2022, in which she claimed that he was ageist in terminating their marriage. She accused him of dating a younger woman and alleged that he was seeking revenge by terminating her employment. The couple also had disputes over luxury penthouses along the Thames worth millions of pounds.
However, her claims were dismissed by the tribunal, as it was revealed that Ms. Belson had actually left the marriage and that Mr. Belson’s new partner was older than her, at 63. Nevertheless, the employment tribunal ordered Mr. Belson to pay his ex-wife £11,239 ($15,565) in compensation for unfair dismissal, as reported by Express.co.uk.
The deterioration of their relationship began in 2021 when Mr. Belson accused his wife of going on vacation with an elderly neighbor and having an affair with him. Mrs. Belson denied the allegation, stating that the 83-year-old neighbor was “old and gay.”
Judge Holly Stout, who chaired the panel reviewing the case, concluded that the relationship between the couple had irretrievably broken down. She noted that both parties had conducted themselves in a way that destroyed the trust and confidence between them. They had accused each other of lying about property and had even contacted the police regarding each other’s behavior.
Despite the couple’s split occurring 2.5 years ago, they have been unable to reach a settlement regarding their divorce. Judge Stout also mentioned that Mrs. Belson had initiated or supported at least three other legal proceedings against Mr. Belson.
In her ruling, Judge Stout rejected Mrs. Belson’s claim that Mr. Belson left her for a younger woman due to her age. She accepted Mr. Belson’s evidence that his new girlfriend is older than Mrs. Belson and emphasized that Mrs. Belson had actually left the marital relationship. The judge stated that age had nothing to do with the termination of the relationship and that Mr. Belson was not seeking a younger partner based on ageist grounds.
The outcome of the case highlights the complexities of the divorce proceedings and the importance of considering all relevant evidence before making judgments in such matters.
