Lottery allows interim of publication about affair
A man who won £41m on the lottery with his wife has been granted an interim order stopping the publication of a book by a woman with whom he had an affair.
In 2016, Donna Desporte began a relationship with Gareth Bull, who scooped £41m in 2012 along with his wife, Catherine, and also owns a holiday villa in Tenerife where she has a bar.
Desporte has recently published a book about their time together, called ‘Google Me – No Lies: The Incredible True Heartbreaking Amazing Story Of A Survivor!!‘. It featured the relationship with 41 million lottery millionaire Gareth Bull but its publication is on hold.
But the former bricklayer, 46, is seeking to prevent details of their relationship being exposed. In summary, he says that the details are private and confidential.
His lawyer, Jacob Dean, argued at the high court in London on Wednesday that his client having a lover should not make him subject to public disclosure.
“My client is not a public figure. He’s not someone who’s ever presented or identified as never being deceptive to former partners,” he told the court.
However, Desporte, 48, claimed Bull was trying to restrict her right to freedom of speech.
Ahead of a full hearing, the judge, Patrick Moloney QC, ruled that the information in dispute could not be published. In his opinion, the odds of Bull succeeding were high.
“It does appear to me, looking ahead, that the arguments in favour of the claimant’s case are stronger than the arguments in favour of the defendant’s case,” he said.
Lottery winner hides his ‘kiss’n’tell’ secrets
Moloney said although much of the book was unexceptional, it also covered some intimate matters which fell into the category “popularly known as kiss’n’tell”.
Furthermore, she claimed in court that she had signed over the rights for the book. Unfortunately, she no longer had control over its continued publication.
Bull, a father of two, scooped the Euromillions jackpot in 2012. He has a house in Tenerife and, according to Desporte. Desporte moved from the UK to the Spanish island four years ago and they met at her bar, The Village.
Moreover, she explains that he took her to watch boxing fights and the Bafta awards before the relationship ended.
Moloney denied Desporte leave to appeal against the interim order. She has 21 days to appeal directly to the court of appeal.
