Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Businessman denies sex with club prostitutes

Stephen Ward
Wednesday 15 June 1994 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A BUSINESSMAN who is suing his former wife for slander yesterday admitted visiting clubs in Amsterdam where prostitutes were on offer, but insisted that he had only gone for drinks or roulette.

David Wraith, 48, has claimed in the High Court that his former wife, Shirley, 49, had waged a 'ferocious campaign of spiteful vengeance' against him after their divorce in 1988 after 22 years of marriage. They have a son Jonathan, 20.

Mr Wraith, a former chairman of Scunthorpe United Football Club who runs a business making portable cabins, has told the court his former wife had telephoned his friends, fiancee and business colleagues claiming he had infected her with venereal disease which he caught in Amsterdam.

He claims she also told people that he was guilty of insider dealing and stealing the proceeds of the sale of their Majorcan property and her Porsche car. Mr Wraith also says that she made repeated silent telephone calls to his home at Brampton, Lincolnshire. He is seeking damages, including aggravated damages, for slander and nuisance.

Mrs Wraith, of Scotter, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, claims that her allegations were true, and denies alleging dishonesty.

Yesterday, on the second day of the trial, her counsel, Gilbert Gray QC, cross-examined Mr Wraith for more than three hours.

At one stage yesterday, as Mr Wraith denied displaying any symptoms of venereal disease, his former wife burst into tears, while his second wife, Kathy, and his son sat next to each other gazing up open-mouthed at him in the witness box.

The case continues today.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in