Peter Drake Holman-Hedley (aka Peter Drake Holman, aka Pietro Antonio de Luca): Committal for contempt of court

Committal for Contempt of Court

Claim number BL-2009-000007

High Court of Justice, Business and Property Courts

1 October 2021

Between
Sally Jane Aitchison
v
Peter Drake Holman-Hedley
(aka Peter Drake Holman, aka Pietro Antonio de Luca)

Before
HH Judge Klein

1. On 1 February 2010, Mr Justice Briggs continued a freezing injunction until trial by which the Defendant was forbidden from in any way disposing of, dealing with, or diminishing the value of any of his assets wherever situated up to the value of £271,552.31 and by which, if the total unencumbered value of the Defendant’s assets in England and Wales did not exceed £271,552.31, he was forbidden from disposing of, or dealing with, them;

2. On 29 November 2010, Mr Justice Vos continued the freezing injunction, in the circumstances which have happened until further order of the court. By the order of Mr Justice Vos the Defendant was forbidden from in any way disposing of, dealing with, or diminishing the value of any of his assets wherever situated up to the value of £271,552.31 and by which, if the total unencumbered value of the Defendant’s assets in England and Wales did not exceed £271,552.31, he was forbidden from disposing of, or dealing with, them.

By his own admission, the Defendant:

1. Breached the order of Mr Justice Briggs, and has been in contempt of court, by granting a charge by way of legal mortgage, dated 17 June 2010, over 124 Abbey Road, Sompting, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 0AD (the property) to Alan and Linda Hedley (the first contempt);

2. Breached the order of Mr Justice Vos, and has been in contempt of court, by selling the property on or about 26 July 2012 (the second contempt).

On 1 October 2021, at the Royal Courts of Justice, HH Judge Klein (sitting as a Judge of the High Court) imposed the following punishment on Peter Drake Holman-Hedley (aka Peter Drake Holman, aka Pietro Antonio de Luca):

1. In relation to the first contempt, a term of imprisonment of 162 days;
2. In relation to the second contempt, a term of imprisonment of 54 days;

the terms of imprisonment to be served concurrently, and to be suspended for 5 years and 7 months, on condition that Peter Drake Holman-Hedley (aka Peter Drake Holman, aka Pietro Antonio de Luca) pays the Claimant’s solicitors for her benefit:

1. £5,000 by 5 p.m. on Tuesday 5 October 2021;
2. £650 on 15 November 2021, and £650 each month thereafter on 15th of each month.