Slander case wife 'broken-hearted'

THE JURY in the 'fatal attraction' slander action was yesterday told that Shirley Wraith was no 'housewife from hell'.

Gilbert Gray QC, for Mrs Wraith, told the High Court: 'She is in fact a broken- hearted mother and a very sad but hard-working lady.'

In comparision to his 'anxious' ex-wife of 22-years - an 'ordinary lass' who married at 17 - David Wraith was extrovert, tough and commercially more than competent, Mr Gray said.

Mr Wraith, 48, is suing his ex-wife for damages, claiming she waged a 'ferocious campaign of spiteful vengeance' against him. He says she told other people he had given her a 'dose' of VD, allegedly contracted on business trips to the Netherlands.

Mr Wraith, of Brampton, Lincolnshire, also says she accused him of 'insider' share dealing and stealing the proceeds of the sale of their Majorcan property. Mrs Wraith, 48, of Hawes, North Yorkshire, claims her VD allegations were true and denies ever making the allegations of dishonesty.

Mr Gray pointed out that evidence from a leading expert that Mrs Wraith had a sexually transmitted disease which, if she had been monogamous, could only have come from her husband, was not refuted.

He said Mr Wraith's counsel admitted his client had 'lapsed from time to time' during his marriage.

Earlier, the jury watched a videotape secretly filmed by private investigators, acting for Mrs Wraith, during visits to two Dutch clubs visited by her ex-husband in the 1980s.

Mr Wraith has said that the clubs were high-class establishments where he enjoyed a drink and a game of roulette, but never had sex with any of the girls. Michael Cornwall, an inquiry agent, gave evidence that they were undoubtedly brothels.

The judge is expected to begin summing up today.