Barrister calls for divorce penalties

PEOPLE who refuse to disclose their full assets during divorce and separation cases must be severely penalised by the courts, a family lawyer insisted yesterday.

Non-disclosure has lead to a major increase in costs for their spouses because they have to hire extra professionals to investigate their partners’ financial affairs, Senior Counsel Inge Clissman said.

Not giving full details of assets also makes it virtually impossible to settle some cases and breeds an environment of distrust, Ms Clissman said.