Following 25 years of unpaid domestic work, a businessman was forced to pay his ex-wife £180,000.
Based on the effort required throughout their marriage, the charge was calculated using the minimum wage.
The 204,624.86 euros, or roughly £182,000, were ordered to be paid over by Ivana Moral’s husband in a divorce settlement that was made public today.
The amount was determined by Velez-Malaga, southern Spain, court judge Laura Ruiz Alaminos.
He discovered that Ivana, who has two girls with her ex, had been in charge of all home maintenance.
She spent nearly all her time ‘essentially working in the home, which meant looking after the home and the family and all that involves,’ the divorce ruling stated.
Speaking to Cadena Ser radio, Ivana claimed her husband wanted her solely to work within the home or occasionally within gyms he owned, where she handled ‘public relations and acted as a monitor’.
She told the radio station: ‘I have dedicated myself exclusively to housework, looking after my husband and the house.
‘He made me take on the specific role’ of doing domestic chores, to the extent that ‘I was in a place where I couldn’t really do much else.’
The marriage between Ivana and her husband was governed by a separation of property regime.
It meant that the earnings of each party was theirs alone.
As a result, the arrangement ‘would have left Ms Moral with no access to any of the wealth acquired through years of partnership’, i reports.
She told the newspaper: ‘Clearly this was a case of abuse to be completely excluded financially (by my ex-husband) with nothing left after my marriage ended, so me and my daughters were left with nothing after all these years of putting all my time, energy and love in the family.
‘I was supporting my husband in his work and in the family as a mother and a father. I was never allowed access to his financial affairs; everything was in his name.’
Her ex, who had aimed to divide their home and possessions following a divorce , is likely to appeal the decision.
He must also pay her a pension equivalent to £444 per month as well as £356 and £533 to his two daughters, who are now aged 20 and 14.