Caller backs no-fault divorce after tracking wife's car 'for evidence of cheating'
8 June 2021, 17:07
'I put a mobile phone in the back of her car for evidence of cheating'
This caller told Shelagh Fogarty he put a mobile phone in the back of his wife's car to gather evidence of cheating, backing a no-fault divorce as an easier route of separation.
The conversation comes as the UK government confirms that couples seeking a no fault divorce under new legislation will now have to wait until 2022.
Simon from Kingston explained: "It's taken three years, we've spent over £400,000 on solicitor fees and borrowing against the house to pay for solicitors fees because we ran out of cash. We basically just tore each other apart.
"Our marriage was on the rocks, and sadly she went off and started messing around. Because of this [lack of] no-blame thing, I thought I had to gather evidence. I was aware of what was going on, she didn't know I was aware. So I was then tracking her, for want of a better word."
Shelagh then asked: "When you say you were tracking your wife, looking back, were you stalking your wife?"
After a long pause, Simon said: "I was not stalking as in following, I was basically just putting an old phone in the back of the car and was able to track what hotel she was going to. Whether you call that stalking or not I don't know.
"But as I say I thought I had to have evidence so it was like having a private detective but I sort of just did it myself so I could show it to the courts, thinking that's what I had to do. Obviously with the new no-blame thing you don't have to do that."
No-fault divorce: Caller opens up about ex-husband being a bigamist
"So would a no-fault divorce have helped you both do you think?" Shelagh asked.
Simon replied: "In the very initial stages I could've gone straight away right you're clearly doing what you're doing, let's knock it on the head.
"So it would've saved a little bit of aggravation or pain in the beginning, but not a lot because then the real pain came through in the battling of the finances."
The no-fault law replaces the need for evidence of conduct, such as adultery or unreasonable behaviour, and would require divorcing couples to provide a 'statement of irretrievable breakdown'.
