civil cases from abroad

[rebelrose1229]

Hi,

My husband was in a relationship with a woman who lives in Australia (we live in the U.K.) and during the course of the relationship she paid for a airplane ticket so that he could fly to see her. The cost was around 800 pounds. While he was there she also spent other money untill he was able to unfreeze his card. The total amount spent was about 1200 pounds. he did tell her he would repay her in e-mails and text ad had every intintion of doing this, however the relationship ended about 3 months after he returned and she has since been threatning him and our children. She has said she is going to sue him for the money if he dosent repay her by the end of April 2010. Not only do we not have that kind of cash but honestly money was spent on her from his end, when she visted him here and once he was able to use his bank card, in excess of what she spent on him. I m wondering if she will actualy be able to sue him what with her living in another country and if so what our options are.

Thanks Rebel Rose

[cerberusalert]

Even if she could the cost would be prohibitive to her, she would have to try here in the UK.

[rebelrose1229]

Well she says she has law school friends here in the U.K. would they be able to try it for her or would she have to actualy be here? And if so wouldnt we then be responsiable for the all legal fees?

[cerberusalert]

Unless there was some written agreement about payment she would find it impossible to prove.

[rebelrose1229]

Well she says she has e-mails and text messages would that count? Am very greatful for your feedback just trying to see where we stand. The lady has gone completely bonkers and while 1200 pounds is not much to some it is huge to us and with her threats and so forth I really don't want to pay her back as she does not deserve it in my eyes...

[cerberusalert]

Well she says she has e-mails and text messages would that count?

I doubt it, to be honest I would let her rant on. Even if she was foolish enough to try and pursue through the courts here your husband could bring her to 'Strict Proof' that a debt actually exists and she would have to produce evidence of it. Your husband doesn't have to prove a debt doesn't exist she has to prove it does.

[rebelrose1229]

Ok thank you very very much. Hopefully it will come to nothing.

[ozzyboy]

If it wasn't for cases like this "Judge Judy" wouldn't exist!

 

The money for the ticket was a gift and anything she spent on him after that was of her own choosing and at her own risk.

 

His offer to pay the money back was a purely vountary gesture of good will. If he later changed his mind or was in a position such that he couldn't afford to pay, it's her tough luck for being so generous / foolhardy in the first place.

 

She might have had a case if he had used the money she gave him to buy something of significant value like a car or jewellery which he later sold and retained the proceeds for himself.

 

If that was the case, even here in Australia she'd have a real struggle to get this to the courts but to try and pursue it overseas - not a cat in hell's chance!