Tycoon wins appeal over damages

Miss Richardson claimed Howie beat her repeatedly with a bottle

A property tycoon has won an appeal over the amount of damages he will have to pay a masseuse after he attacked her with a bottle, leaving her scarred.

In 2003, Ian Howie, 51, from Hove, was ordered by Brighton County Court to pay Nicola Richardson of Bexhill, East Sussex, £10,000 for injuries.

Appeal judges reduced the award to £4,500, claiming £10,000 was excessive.

In 2001, Howie - who denied the assault - was convicted and jailed for six years for soliciting her murder.

Lord Justice Thomas, sitting with Lord Justice Jacob, said Miss Richardson had wrongly been awarded "aggravated" damages.

He also said an overall award of £10,000 was "far too high".

'Volatile' relationship

Miss Richardson, who is in her thirties, was originally awarded the damages after giving evidence that Howie had hit her repeatedly with a bottle during a holiday to Barbados.

Describing the relationship between the pair as "volatile", Lord Justice Thomas said they met while Miss Richardson was working as a masseuse in Brighton.

"He thereafter saw her on a regular basis, paying her significant sums of money; he bought a house for her to live in," he said.

He said the pair's relationship ended in 2000, after they returned from the holiday to Barbados.

The following year, Howie was arrested and brought to trial at Lewes Crown Court, where he was convicted of trying to hire a hitman to kill Miss Richardson.