- Michael Parker, 60, sold luxury towels to top hotels such as The Dorchester
- Thomas Parker-Bowyer, 30, wants to sell the house he says his father ‘gifted’ him
A towel tycoon is suing his son in a tug-of-war over a £2 million mansion they both say belongs to them.
Michael Parker has already ‘spent ruinously’ on a £2 million divorce fight with his former wife Barbara.
Now he is battling his son Thomas Parker-Bowyer, 30, in the High Court over a seven-bedroom spread in the Buckinghamshire village of Bourne End.
Mr Parker, 60, lived at the ranch-style home, valued at up to £2.65 million, until 2019 when it was signed over to his son.
But Mr Parker, who sold luxury towels to top hotels such as The Dorchester in London, claims he signed the house over only on the basis that he had a right to control it during his lifetime.
Towel tycoon Michael Parker (pictured) is battling his son Thomas Parker-Bowyer, 30, in the High Court over a seven-bedroom mansion
The £2.65million ranch-style home is situated in the Buckinghamshire village of Bourne End. The mansion is in two acres of land and has eight bathrooms, a cinema and a swimming pool with adjustable floor height, plus a gym and a bar
Mr Parker-Bowyer, who wants to sell the house, says his father ‘gifted’ it to him in return for paying off the mortgage.
Mr Parker was a property developer before uniting with then-wife Barbara in supplying towels sourced from Turkey.
The disputed mansion is in two acres of land and has eight bathrooms, a cinema and a swimming pool with adjustable floor height, plus a gym and a bar. The court in London heard the clash centres on a deal between father and son in 2019 after Mr Parker moved to his other house Babs Park, named after ex-wife Barbara Cooke.
Mr Parker admits he transferred the house to his son. ‘But the idea was that Mr Parker would have continuing use and occupation of the property,’ said his barrister Gavin McLeod, with Mr Parker also aiming to ultimately reduce his estate’s inheritance tax liabilities.
But Mr Parker-Bowyer, who once worked with his dad, insists he simply agreed to buy his father out of the property as he was so heavily mortgaged he risked foreclosure.
Mr Parker-Bowyer’s barrister Piers Digby said he used £200,000 savings and a £1.2 million mortgage to pay off his father’s mortgage, with his father gifting him the remaining equity.
Mr Parker is suing his son on the basis that a ‘constructive trust’ was created by the 2019 transfer, giving him the right to a life interest in the disputed property.
Son Thomas Parker-Bowyer (pictured) arriving at the High Court with his wife Kimberley. Mr Parker signed the house over to his son in 2019. However, they are now locked in a court battle because Mr Parker-Bowyer wants to sell the house
Yesterday Deputy Master John Linwood refused to dismiss Mr Parker’s claim, saying the evidence should be heard at a full trial.
Mr Parker previously made headlines over his divorce battle with Barbara Cooke and an insurance claim. In a hearing over the latter, a judge found that on the balance of probabilities he had arranged for an arson attack on Ms Cooke’s former home in Farnham Royal, near Windsor, in a failed scam.
Dismissing the insurance claim over the blaze back in 2012, Mr Justice Teare said: ‘There is no credible explanation for the fire on the evidence other than it was set by persons on the direction of Mr Parker.’
When the divorce case came before the High Court in 2018, Mr Justice Cohen said that Mr Parker had ‘wantonly blown’ £918,000 in legal costs on the fire damage claim, adding: ‘Thus, in total, the husband and wife have spent over £3 million in costs on litigation they have initiated.’ In the divorce, Mr Parker agreed ‘through gritted teeth’ to surrender 50 per cent of company shares to her. She was ordered to pay him £800,000.
Read more
News Related
-
Window opens for Zahid to ride off into the sunset – but at Anwar’s cost Sources within Umno have not ruled out strong speculation since last month about a so-called “exit plan” for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a move that could pave the way for his political retirement having survived more ...
See Details:
Window opens for Zahid to ride off into the sunset – but at Anwar's cost
-
Brianna Ghey died after she was found with fatal stab wounds in a park Two teenagers accused of murdering Brianna Ghey showed a “preoccupation” with “violence, torture and death”, a court has heard. The body of Brianna, 16, who was transgender, was discovered by dog walkers in a park in ...
See Details:
Murder-accused teens 'had preoccupation with torture'
-
ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY Guard Corps Commander-in-Cheif Major General Hossein Salami speaks at an anti-Israel protest in Tehran on Saturday. The IRGC trained Hezbollah to use human shields, say the writers. The conflict in Gaza has raised a deeply troubling issue: Reports suggest that Hamas is deliberately using civilians as shields, a ...
See Details:
A plea for Islamic voices against using human shields - opinion
-
Photo for illustration purposes only. – BERNAMA FILE PIX SHAH ALAM – The government needs to strengthen the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, especially with the exemption of visas for Chinese and Indian citizens visiting the country starting Dec 1. Universiti Tun Abdul Razak economic expert Emeritus Professor Dr ...
See Details:
Strengthen MM2H programme, promote multiple entry visa
-
GEG element removed from anti-smoking Bill KUALA LUMPUR: The generational end-game (GEG) element has been removed from the revised Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2023 Bill tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Nov 28). This is as the Health Ministry tries for the ...
See Details:
GEG element removed from anti-smoking Bill
-
-
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Malaysia Airlines launches year-end sale
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Dr M accuses govt of bribery over allocations
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Malaysia to check if the Netherlands still keen to send flood experts
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Appeals court to rule in Isa’s graft case on Jan 31
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Elephants Trample On Axia With Family Of Three Inside
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Sirul fitted with monitoring device
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Nigerian airliner lands at wrong airport
OTHER NEWS
THOSE looking for fresh produce may find themselves spoilt for choice at the biggest wet market in Klang, but visitors to the place say the condition of the facilities and ...
Read more »
Olive Grove is the first-ever gated-and-guarded development in Bercham, Ipoh with 24-hour security. IPOH: YTL Land and Development Bhd announced that Phase 1 of Olive Grove is fully sold while ...
Read more »
Screenshots of a video showing a teenager pointing a knife at an elderly e-hailing driver. PETALING JAYA: Police have arrested a 13-year-old boy for holding an elderly e-hailing driver at ...
Read more »
Sprint Highway’s Semantan To KL Slip Road Fully Closed Until Dec 31 If you’re a regular user of the Sprint expressway, you’ll need to do some planning for your trips ...
Read more »
Genshin Impact Version 4.3 Leak Showcases Update to Domains New leaks reveals a quality-of-life update to Domains in Genshin Impact, making it easier for players to repeat and farm resources. ...
Read more »
CG Computers will host the Urban Republic (UR) Warehouse Clearance from 30 November to 3 December at the Atria Shopping Gallery in Petaling Jaya. During the event, visitor can get ...
Read more »
Photo for illustrative purposes only – 123RF KUALA LUMPUR – Hyperinflation has never happened in Malaysia and the government hopes it will never happen, according to the Economy Ministry. It ...
Read more »