Petra Ecclestone’s ‘abusive’ husband James Stunt calls F1 boss Bernie a ‘c***’ and makes gun gesture in court after judge orders him out of couple’s £75m home in bitter £5BILLION divorce battle
Millionaire James Stunt, 35, gives finger to photographers as he storms out of High Court
THE husband of Bernie Ecclestone’s daughter Petra called the Formula One supremo a “c***” yesterday after a judge ordered him out of his marital home.
Millionaire James Stunt, 35, appeared to make a gun gesture in court before he barged into Bernie, 86, then storming out of the High Court and giving the finger to photographers.
Bernie marched after him before Recorder Richard Anelay urged him to sit down.
The judge — who did not appear to hear Stunt’s muttered expletive — said: “Please don’t do that sort of thing in court.”
The Central Family Court heard Petra moved out of the couple’s £75million West London mansion in February and rented a three-bedroom home, with the pair locked in a bitter £5billion divorce battle.
She now wants to move back in, her lawyer David Williams QC said.
Mr Williams claimed Stunt had admitted allegations of abusive conduct and “overdoses” and had described them as “regrettable”.
He added that Stunt had behaved in a "disgraceful" way recently, but the court heard that Stunt "strongly disputes" his wife's allegations.
The Ecclestone family’s Bambino Trust own the mansion the couple and their children had been living in.
The family had bought the house for £70million, spending £25million to add a new wing featuring a pool, gym and underground car park.
The judge ordered Stunt, who muttered and gesticulated throughout the 90-minute hearing, to be out by tomorrow.
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Recorder Anelay said: “Petra should be restored to the former matrimonial home forthwith.
"He has said on numerous occasions that the children should be there, it's their home, and that the mother should be there with them as well.
"He'd like to be there too, but - and I'm not making any judgements - it's unlikely they could live in peace together at that property."
The couple had signed a prenuptial agreement worth £16million, with Stunt's own assets including a wine collection worth millions of pounds.
Other assets expected to be fought over include a multi-million pound mansion in Los Angeles.
The court heard Stunt, worth £16million, “strongly disputes” allegations made by his wife.
In a statement last night he said: “I ask that Petra and I are given time and space to work through our difficulties.
"If our marriage were to fail it would be a tragedy.
"The situation is deeply upsetting for us and for our families.”
The couple had reportedly met on a blind date in 2006, marrying five years later in a swish ceremony at Odescalchi Castle in Rome.
The bride had worn a £80,000 Vera Wang dress, with the ceremony reportedly costing £12million.
A further two-day hearing is scheduled for October.