Liz McColgan in legal fight over assets of marriage

The estranged husband of Liz McColgan appeared in court yesterday as the couple attempt to divide their assets following a bitter separation.

It is understood that Peter McColgan has lodged a civil action against the Olympic silver medallist over the allocation of the various properties they jointly own.

The case was called as it emerged that the High School of Dundee is taking the couple to court for almost £10,000 of what is believed to be outstanding fees for which neither will accept liability.

Mrs McColgan did not appear at Arbroath Sheriff Court yesterday, but Mr McColgan attended with a female companion.

The mother of five – who now coaches the couple’s daughter, Olympic steeplechaser Eilish, 21 – was instead represented by her solicitor, George Donnelly. He told the court that the couple had agreed in principle to the “balance” of the division.

But he said: “We now have to agree the actual division. It’s a case of moving chess pieces round the chess board.”

Sheriff Kevin Veal adjourned the case until 3 November to allow negotiations between the parties to continue.

However, he refused to make public the case documents detailing exactly which assets the action related to.

He said: “These are not public documents. The rules of the court are that we don’t allow these to be handed out, except to litigants and agents.

“This is not just in this case – this is across the board. Many [civil] cases are sensitive and involve children.”

Mr McColgan, 49, refused to answer questions on the case as he left court yesterday. However, he insisted it was “not accurate at all” to suggest he owed money to the High School of Dundee, where University of Dundee student Eilish was once a pupil.