Andorran Businessman Avoids Jail in Child Support Trial via Last-Minute Deal

A prominent Andorran businessman faced trial at the Tribunal de Corts this morning over repeated failures to pay court-ordered child support of €450 per month for his daughter. Prosecutors accused him of breaching multiple judicial rulings, a criminal offence, while he claimed financial ruin from business failures and lawsuits in Andorra and Spain prevented compliance. The hearing ended abruptly with a last-minute out-of-court agreement between the former couple.

The father recounted a sharp downturn in his fortunes after custody initially went to him in 2017, when the mother duly paid her share without issue. Roles reversed later, but he said he could not meet payments from the outset due to company bankruptcies and legal battles, including claims from another major local entrepreneur. "The lawsuits sank me financially," he told the court, adding that a subsequent job paid only €1,000 monthly.

Prosecutors highlighted discrepancies between his claimed hardship and evidence of a comfortable lifestyle: shared ownership of a €600,000 home with his new partner, a high-end car acquired via leasing, and foreign holidays funded by friends. He has since stabilised, earning €2,500 monthly at a business he rebuilt alone, with his partner’s support. The daughter now lives with him, and he covers her private university fees and fuel costs—expenses he argued offset past shortfalls. The unpaid support totals around €30,000.

The ex-wife insisted she always fulfilled her obligations, even working three jobs to secure custody, and accused him of maintaining a consistently high standard of living. "He never lowered his level of life," she said, describing emotional harm and his use of their daughter to deflect her demands. She expressed unease over the agreement's terms, including the university choice, but waived the debt in hopes he would cover future costs.

The prosecution, pointing to his earnings as sufficient to settle the arrears, sought a six-month prison sentence, later reduced as the deal resolved payment issues. The defence demanded acquittal, portraying the father as one who "always stepped up when he could." The agreement halts further proceedings.