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Ex-Beatle Vows to 'Vigorously' Fight Abuse Claims

Ex-Beatle Vows to 'Vigorously' Fight Abuse Claims
John Hitch  |  by news.aol.com. All rights reserved. 3.01 | 19:14

in an increasingly ugly divorce, lawyers warn.

Allegations against the former Beatle appearing in leaked reputation, and were unlikely to boost Heather Mills McCartney's financial position in any settlement, they said.

The couple's daughter Beatrice, who is nearly three, is also likely to find out about the claims in the future.



The documents claim McCartney used illegal drugs and drank excessively, hurled abuse at Mills and made her cancel an married because it interfered with his holiday plans.

They also said McCartney did not want her to breastfeed their baby daughter, saying "they are my breasts."

McCartney's lawyers responded by saying he would defend the allegations "vigorously and appropriately.

"

Following is the text of a statement issued on Wednesday by Payne Hicks Beach, lawyers for ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, in response to accusations published in British newspapers that he mistreated his wife Heather. (AP) "Since the breakdown of his marriage Sir Paul McCartney has maintained his silence in not commenting on the media stories believing that it was best for all concerned, particularly his children, for there to be some dignity in what is a private matter. Our client would very much like to respond in public and in detail to the allegations made recently against him by his wife and published in the press but he recognises, on advice, that the only correct forum for his response to the allegations made against him is in the current divorce proceedings.

Our client is saddened by the breakdown of his marriage and requests that his family is allowed to conduct their personal affairs out of the media spotlight for the sake of everybody involved."

Mills' representatives in the divorce, which has become so bitter one newspaper described it on Thursday as "toxic," deny she had anything to do with leaking the documents to the press.

But if the revelations were designed to bolster Mills' position in settlement negotiations, they may backfire.



"I don't think these allegations are going to affect the partner with law firm Manches.

"The behavior must be so severe that it would be inequitable to disregard, and the threshold is incredibly high. home an argument of behavior (in a divorce case)," he added.



CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSE

When the couple announced their separation in May, media fortune, although some lawyers dismissed the figure as exaggerated.

But lawyers believe the leaked allegations could in fact reduce the amount of money Mills receives in a settlement.

Some celebrity splits have been anything but happy endings.

McCartney and Mills are hardly the only stars residing in Splitsville.
Confidentiality clauses, whereby a person agrees not to disclose details of the divorce or the reasons for it, can make up a significant part of a financial settlement.

"One might negotiate a clause that there would be no publicity, and to obtain such a clause Paul McCartney might of family law at SA Law.



Beatrice could also suffer as a result of this week's revelations, lawyers said.

"Children will read things that have been written, and that will damage (parents') relationships with the children," Andrew Greensmith, chairman of Resolution, a group of lawyers seeking to improve the British family justice system, told Reuters.

He believed the latest allegations against 64-year-old McCartney were unlikely to affect access to the child, with than the behavior during a marriage.



And while lawyers still expected the McCartneys to settle the divorce out of court, the latest allegations did bring a court showdown a step closer.

"Generally speaking, by creating an acrimonious atmosphere the parties become polarized," Greensmith said.

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