Family Law

Heather Mills has been awarded £24.3 million in her divorce settlement with Sir Paul McCartney.

The settlement was decided upon today by Mr Justice Bennett from the high court's family division.

Ms Mills will receive £14 million for herself, £2.5 million to buy a house in London and she will be able to keep her current assets of £7.8 million. Sir Paul will pay for the couple's four-year-old daughter Beatrice's nanny, school fees and will pay their daughter £35,000 a year.

Mr Justice Bennett assessed Ms Mills income needs as £600,000 per annum.

The summary judgment stated that Ms Mills had sought £125 million and been offered £15.8 million by Sir Paul.

Ms Mills addressed the media outside the High Court in London and said she will return to court tomorrow to appeal the decision to publish the ruling in full because of concerns for the security of her daughter.

Having fallen out with her legal representatives at Mishcon de Reya, Ms Mills represented herself at the divorce hearings. When asked if she thought this was a mistake she replied: "Not at all. Lawyers couldn't get anywhere near this figure."

Mr Justice Bennett found that the total value of all Sir Paul's assets, including his business assets, was about £400 million. He said there was no evidence before him that he was worth £800 million.

Angry at the lower valuation of Sir Paul's assets, Ms Mills attacked the legal establishment saying: "These people are in a club, it's like they want to stay together, and they don't want a litigant in person to be seen to be doing well."

Details of the couple's settlement were not expected to be made public, however last month the Judicial Communications Office released a statement stating Mr Justice Bennett could make his judgment public "in whole or in part".

As expected, the settlement did not exceed the record £48 million awarded last May in the Charman case.

Ms Mills married Sir Paul in June 2002, four years after the death of his first wife Linda from breast cancer. The couple announced the end of their marriage in 2006.