Roger ‘the dodger’ Jenkins
Scottish tycoon gives half his fortune to Ex Wife Diana in ‘happiest divorce ever’
Diana Jenkins left and centre supermodel Elle Macpherson, right pic. Roger Jenkins (right) and his brother David training in the 1970s
The Scottish banker and sprinter who became one of Britain’s richest men has agreed a reported £150m settlement with his wife in what they have described as the “happiest divorce ever”.
Roger Jenkins, who represented Scotland as a sprinter at the Commonwealth Games before embarking on a lucrative banking career, is worth an estimated £300 million and has now reportedly handed half to his Bosnian-born ex-wife Diana.
Notoriously private, Mr Jenkins was caught in the limelight for the first time on nearly four decades when he stepped out with supermodel Elle Macpherson for the first time earlier this year.
The Jenkins who separated three years ago, have now divorced without a court fight and are said to have remained the “best of friends”.
Diana Jenkins is reportedly “thrilled” at her ex-husband’s new relationship.
Mr Jenkins was worth £272 million and ranked 290 on this year’s Sunday Times Rich List. His wife is now listed at 457.
Mr Jenkins, 56, and Elle Macpherson, 48, were first seen together in public at the high-profile White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington DC earlier this year.
The man known as Roger the Dodger and the King of the Double Dip and the woman known as The Body were also recently photographed in Ibiza on holiday.
Mr Jenkins, whose father was a manager at Grangemouth oil refinery, moved to Edinburgh as a boy and was a pupil at The Edinburgh Academy. He studied at Heriot-Watt University.
He made his fortune as a tax expert at Barclays Bank and now sits on the board of Brazilian bank BTG Pactual, splitting his time between Sao Paulo and North America.
His brother David is a former European 400m champion and the pair teamed up for Scotland in the 4 x 400m relay at the 1978 Commonwealth Games. But David later admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs and was jailed for trafficking in the US. He now lives in San Diego, where he built a successful career in sports nutrition products.
Yesterday it was reported that Mr Jenkins told friends: “I love Diana and have such admiration for her as a mother, businesswoman and someone who was brilliant as a wife.
“We have moved on and are supremely happy with the arrangements we have in our lives. Diana will always be a very happy part of my life.”
The Jenkins have two children from their 10-year marriage and divided their property portfolio, including a £25 million clifftop estate overlooking Malibu beach. Former Bosnian refugee Diana, 37, is said to live in the main house with the children, while Mr Jenkins has an adjoining house.
The now former Mrs Jenkins is a successful businesswoman as chairwoman of lucrative drinks brand Neuro Brands, and she told friends she is delighted with the amicable divorce.
She reportedly said: “All is great, life is good, Roger is wonderful – class all the way to the end. He is and always will be my best friend. He is the father of my children and I will always love him.”
A friend continued: “They say they have the happiest divorce ever, and they do. Everybody’s super-happy. Diana is thrilled that Roger has found happiness with Elle; we all thought she’d be cut up about it, but she’s delighted.
“She really likes Elle and wants Roger to be happy. He seems to be, and the relationship is very serious. Diana has been telling people that it’s great and she has a great settlement and she’s delighted.”
Sligo man Fergal McNulty (42) jailed for 8 years for assault on former partner
A Sligo bouncer who punched his former partner twice in the face with a sharp object has been jailed for eight years.
Fergal McNulty (42) came up behind the victim as she was walking her eight-year-old son to school and punched her twice, cutting her from ear to nose.
In a victim impact report read out in court Una Webb said the severe scarring resulting from the assault is a daily reminder of her attacker.
The mother of one said that she is not a vain person but she felt that the scar has destroyed her face.
She said that some days she cannot leave her home and she never walks her son to school anymore. She said the attack has affected her ability to raise her son.
Garda Shimlagh Martin told Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that McNulty has seven previous convictions, including theft, forgery and two for common assault.
McNulty of Whitworth Road, Drumcondra and formerly of Collooney, County Sligo had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and assault causing serious harm to Ms Webb on St Anne’s Road, Drumcondra on September 3rd, 2009.
After two days of evidence the jury of six men and six women took three hours to return majority verdicts of guilty on both charges.
During the trial the woman, who is in her 30s, sobbed and struggled to speak as she described the attack. She said she was walking her son to a school near their home when she felt a presence behind her.
She turned and looked over her shoulder and recognised McNulty. Within seconds she felt blows to her face. She was afraid her attacker would hurt her son and she ran away dragging the boy with her.
Ms Webb turned around a second time and saw the man across the road looking back at her. She told the trial she was in doubt that it was McNulty.
McNulty was arrested later that day. During the trial two alibi witnesses said they saw him at a house at least five miles from the assault at the time it took place.
His current partner Michelle Jenkins and her aunt, Jane Kane, said he was at Ms Kane’s home in Ballybrack that morning.
The court heard that Ms Webb was left with a 15cm permanent scar and the attack had shattered two of her teeth.
Patrick Dwyer SC, defending, said that McNulty originally came from Collooney, Co Sligo but had moved to Dublin in 1993 and had worked mainly in security and door work.
Counsel said he could not present anything else in mitigation because his client still maintains his innocence and intends to appeal the conviction.
Judge Patrick McCartan said that if McNulty wasn’t the attacker then it had to some wild deranged man who has never being discovered and who has never repeated his attack.
He said Ms Webb was “in pieces” during her testimony and that the jury had believed her and found McNulty’s testimony to be unbelievable.
The judge said it had been a horrendous and vicious assault, carried out in broad daylight on a public street which had destroyed the victim’s life.
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