Divorcee’s long-running legal battle ends in prison sentence

Therese St Clair Marshall had refused to leave her £2million property in Bayswater, Central London and bailiffs were called to force entry.

The 43-year-old divorcee, whose decision to remain at the mews house was in defiance of an earlier court order, had been found in contempt of court last autumn.

She was sentenced to seven days in jail, pending an appeal. When this failed last week, Ms Marshall was arrested and taken to Holloway Prison.

The locks of the property have been changed and the house is now set to be sold.

Last week’s events bring to an end a protracted stand-off, which started following a court ruling in 2013.

A Judge had ordered that the home be sold and the proceeds divided, with Mrs Marshall to receive a £650,000 payout.

In response, the divorcee had set about turning the address into a “fortress”, refusing to give the keys to an estate agent and daring the courts to impose a custodial sentence.

In a previous interview with the London Evening Standard she hinted at how far she was prepared to go in the bitter divorce dispute.

“I could end up in prison, lose my home and go out onto the street,” she told the paper.

“But I won’t give up because I still think my husband should offer me a settlement which is fair.”

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