LONDON, March 20: A Saudi Arabian man, who abducted his own children and left his wife stranded in London, has been described in court as “untruthful, cruel and ruthless” and ordered to pay the largest divorce settlement in English legal history, the Times reported on Wednesday.

Abdullah Masry, who told the court he was bankrupt, was described as “untruthful” by Justice Munby and order to pay Mona Al Khatib 26.3 million pounds (37.3 million dollars) plus an additional 2.5 million so that Al Khatib could pursue a battle through the courts for the return of two of her three sons and her two daughters.

Al Khatib was married to Masry for 20 years and bore him five children.—dpa