Millionaire and ex in High Court battle over £6m home he 'promised would be hers'

An elderly millionaire is locked in a court battle with the mother of his three children over a £6m Surrey mansion, amid claims that he promised to "look after her forever".

Wealthy demolition boss Dennis Read, 88, and former typist Coral Read got together in the 1970s when he was 37 and she 23. Coral moved into his home near Cobham shortly after.

The couple had three sons and carried out £6m of renovations on their family home over the course of their 45-year relationship.

The home, Woodlands House, now boasts five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and two swimming pools.

Although the couple were never married, Coral changed her surname to Read’s and says that he bought her rings and promised they would be married "one day".

She also says that her wealthy ex "repeatedly promised" her that "I'll look after you forever", that she "never need worry", and "the house is yours".

Now, six years after their split, the former couple are now suing each other at the High Court in London.

Coral is claiming a half share of the £6m mansion, alongside £215,000 in personal injury damages. She claims that she was subjected to years of "abuse" and "coercive control" during the relationship, allegations her ex denies.

Dennis for his part is suing Coral, demanding the return of an £876,000 loan he says he made to her to pass to their son Ashley so he could pay off mortgages on his property.

However, Coral "vehemently denies signing" the loan agreement and says it is "unenforceable", claiming the cash was in fact a gift for their son.

Setting out the background, Coral's barrister Noah Gifford told High Court judge Ms Justice Obi: "After the collapse of their respective prior relationships, Dennis and Coral met in late 1974 or early 1975.

"Dennis was 37 years old. Coral was 14 years younger than him, being 23 years old. After Dennis' 'constant suggestion', Coral moved into Woodlands in December 1975.

"From this point, Dennis repeatedly promised Coral that 'I'll look after you forever,' that she 'never need worry' and 'the house is yours'.

"He purchased her engagement and wedding rings and said they would be married 'one day'.

"They went on to live and present to the world at large as husband and wife, Coral even changing her name," he added.

Coral is now claiming she is equal beneficial owner of Woodlands House, despite it being in Dennis' sole name, "by virtue of a common intention constructive trust and the doctrine of proprietory estoppel".

The barrister said she had been promised that this would be the case by Dennis and, on the basis of those promises, had abandoned thoughts of returning to her career, as well as managing the numerous renovations that took place at the property over the decades.

"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," he said.

"Following these repeated promises, Coral committed herself to the household. She used what little money she had for the improvements and benefits of the house.

"During these decades, Woodlands was repeatedly renovated and extended to a large five-bedroom four-bathroom house with an indoor and outdoor pool and many outbuildings.

"Coral, along with being the homemaker, was responsible for and organised these, together with undertaking internal decorative works.

"The objectively discernible intention was that the parties would share the property jointly as joint tenants. The same is consistent with their life as husband and wife.

"Over the course of 45 years, Coral ... devoted her life to Woodlands and sacrificed the life that she could have, including a career with financial independence."

He also told the judge that a £5,000 premium bond win by Coral in the 1970s had been used to buy a flat in her name, but that Dennis "took all rental income over the course of decades" and that those funds had contributed to the works on the family home.

"Coral substantially contributed to the discharge of the mortgage and the extensive extension and renovations ... by the rental monies rightfully hers and taken by the clamant who ... applied these monies into his funds out of which the extensions and renovations were funded," he said.

"By virtue of a common intention constructive trust and the doctrine of proprietory estoppel, Coral is a beneficial joint tenant of Woodlands."

The barrister also went on to accuse Dennis of years of "abuse" and "coercive control" during the relationship and accused him of having "physically and verbally abuse[d]" Coral for "decades".

Coral is suing for £215,000 personal injury damages for the treatment she says she was subjected to during the marriage.

But denying the allegations, Dennis' barrister, Marc Brittain, told the judge: "The burden of proving each allegation lies on Coral on the balance of probabilities.

"Coral's first response to the [loan] claim [by Dennis], in August 2023 made no complaint of abuse by Dennis.

"The prejudice to Dennis is acute. He is 88. Witnesses who might have spoken to the parties' relationship are dead."

Denying that Coral is due any share of Woodlands House, he continued: "Coral made no contribution to the acquisition of Woodlands, which pre-dated the relationship.

"The contributions she relies on are the running of the household, the organisation of building works, interior decoration, and the purchase of furnishings and fittings from the allowance Dennis gave her.

"Such contributions, however valuable, are not of a kind from which a common intention to share the beneficial ownership can be inferred.

"The statements on which Coral relies are, on her own account, of the kind 'look at the house you've got', 'you've got this whole house' and 'the house will be yours'.

"Statements of that sort are consistent with Dennis' admitted assurance that Coral had a home at Woodlands while their relationship continued, and with testamentary intention.

"They are not evidence of a present common intention to share ownership."

Refuting her proprietary estoppel claim, he told the judge that she had suffered no "detriment" by living with Dennis and not getting a house of her own.

"Coral's working life was brought to an end in 1976 ... Over 45 years, she received a home, maintenance, private education for the children, private health cover and other benefits.

"She has her own home ... The suggestion that rent from [her flat] funded works at Woodlands is unsupported by any evidence," he said.

Turning to the loan claim, the barrister told the judge: "Dennis parted with £876,000. He got nothing in return; perhaps not unreasonably, he wants his money back.

"Dennis transferred the money to Coral for a single, identified purpose: to redeem the two charges over The Lodge, Old Lane, Cobham, which Ashley then owned and which was listed for sale by auction, so that the land and buildings adjoining Dennis' home could then be returned to him.

"That purpose was never carried out; the purpose failed. Dennis wants his money back.

"Dennis' evidence is that Coral agreed to and signed the document. The court is invited to find that she did. The signature is, on Coral's own evidence, very similar to hers."

Denying Dennis' story about the loan claim, Mr Gifford, for Coral, told the judge: "The true agreement of Dennis and Coral was the gifting of monies to Ashley."

After a half-day hearing, the case adjourned whilst Dennis undergoes a medical examination to ascertain if he is fit to give evidence and be cross-examined.