Judge orders billionaire pay ex-wife $174m in divorce settlement

A judge has ordered a British billionaire pay his ex-wife £100m ($AUD174m), accusing the man of "reprehensible" behaviour over his financial dealings during their divorce.

In his judgement Justice Cohen of the High Court in London criticised Sir Frederick Barclay, 86, of selling a luxury yacht and applying the equity "for his own use", breaching the existing orders that existed in divorce proceeding between he and estranged wife Lady Hiroko, 77.

Sir Frederick Barclay is the owner of the Telegraph in the UK among many other media assets and also has stakes in shipping and retail.

Sir Fredrick and Lady Hiroko had been married for 34 years when they split, with Lady Hiroko citing "unreasonable behaviour". They quickly became embroiled in bitter divorce proceedings.

Lady Hiroko had requested a £120 million (AUD$215 million) divorce settlement.

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Justice Cohen was scathing of the billionaire in his judgement, accusing him of repeatedly ignoring orders to produce documents and answer questions, further delaying the settlement.

"The principal criticism that I made of (Sir Frederick) related to his treatment of orders made for the production of documents and answers to questions," he said.

"Those orders were made specifically in the context of (him) seeking to argue that loan notes to which he was entitled and which constituted the vast bulk of his wealth were not likely to be honoured, in full or in part, by reason of an alleged absence of liquidity in the underlying family businesses."

He said orders he made were "intended to control the sale and use of the proceeds" which Sir Frederick clearly breached by selling his yacht and spending the money.

"I regarded that behaviour as reprehensible," he added.

Justice Cohen also issued a divorce decree.

Sir Frederick and his twin brother Sir David two of the most high-profile British businessmen in the UK, dubbed the 'Barclay Brothers'. Sir David died in January aged 86.

Prior to his death the pair were listed in the Sunday Times Rich List as being worth £7bn (AUD$12bn).