An 88-year-old pensioner and his former partner are suing each other in a dispute over a £6 million property and their former family home, which she claims she was promised an equal share in during their relationship.
Wealthy demolition boss Dennis Read owned Woodlands House in Surrey before meeting Coral Read, his former partner and the mother of his three children, Ms Justice Obi heard at London’s High Court on Monday.
The couple got together in the mid 70s and shared the five-bedroom mansion for 45 years before separating in 2020.
They never married, but Coral formally changed her surname to Read during the relationship. She told the court Dennis had given her rings and promised they would marry “one day”.
Coral claims equal beneficial ownership of Woodlands House, despite it being in Dennis’ name. She alleges he told her “the house is yours”.
Her barrister, Noah Gifford, said: “From the infancy of their relationship, Dennis promised Coral that the house was ‘ours,’ he would put her on the title, she would inherit Woodlands from him and it was her house.”
Gifford said Coral had “devoted” her life to the house, allegedly spending some of her own money on improvements and “sacrificing the life she could have had, including a career with financial independence”.
“The objectively discernible intention was that the parties would share the property jointly as joint tenants,” he added.
“By virtue of a common intention constructive trust and the doctrine of proprietary estoppel, Coral is a beneficial joint tenant of Woodlands.”
Her barrister also alleged that Coral used a £5,000 premium bond win to buy a flat in her name, but Dennis “took all rental income over the course of decades”, with the funds contributing to work completed on the family home. Dennis’ barrister disputed the claim, calling it “unsupported by any evidence”.
Coral is also suing Dennis for £215,000 in personal injury damages, alleging years of “abuse” and “coercive control” during their relationship.
Dennis denies all the claims. His barrister told the judge Coral had “made no contribution to the acquisition of Woodlands”.
The retired demolition boss is counter-suing the claimant, asking she return an £876,000 loan.
His barrister said Dennis paid Coral the money to pass on to their son to pay off mortgages on a property, but “that purpose was never carried out”, so he wants it returned.
Coral denies signing the loan agreement and says it is “unenforceable”, claiming the money was a gift for their son.
The case has been adjourned pending a medical examination to determine whether Dennis is fit to give evidence and be cross-examined.
