Prince Andrew’s former girlfriend Koo Stark has won legal aid to sue the estranged father of her child despite living in a £1.25 million home in the British capital. A spokesman for the Legal Services Commission confirmed that the former soft-porn star had been granted up to £5,000 in assistance.
Koo and her ex-lover, investment banker Warren Walker, have been battling over their four-year-old daughter, who is currently a ward of court, since last year. The couple split up two years after she was born.
An affidavit submitted to the US courts last year outlined Walker’s provisions for the child and his 44-year-old former lover. In addition to having established a £165,000 trust fund in his daughter’s name, he pays her nursery school fees, holidays and ordinary expenses, plus a quarterly allowance of £13,500.
He also helped pay for the refurbishment of Koo’s London mews home.
According to a friend, the Boston-born banker is “outraged” at Koo being granted legal aid. “Warren feels that he has done everything anyone possibly could do to satisfy Koo’s demands, including paying her a king’s ransom,” the friend said. “He is very upset that he now finds himself having to fight her at his own expense while she gets legal aid.”
A Legal Services Commission spokesman revealed, however, that the grant had been suspended following complaints from Walker’s lawyers, adding that detailed enquiries would now be made into Koo’s eligibility.
Legal aid is normally only granted to those with a disposable income of less than £8,196, with obligatory means testing taking into account the applicant’s income – including maintenance payments – plus any savings, investments or property owned.
The Duke of York’s ex-flame launched a £50 million US lawsuit last year against her former fiancé, alleging breach of promise, emotional distress and loss of earnings. The Kensington-based businessman counter-claimed, saying the numerous stories circulated by the former actress about their relationship were false and that she was trying to use their daughter in “an attempt to obtain absurd sums” from him.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
