A court has ordered a woman to reimburse her estranged husband the maintenance he had paid her for the child she bore during their marriage after it resulted that he was not the child's biological father.

The judgement was delivered by Mr Justice Mark Chetcuti following an application for reimbursement filed by the man.

The court heard how the couple had married in 1995 and the girl was born in 1997. The couple separated by court judgement in 2004 and the man was ordered to pay monthly maintenance of €174.70 to his wife for the daughter.

Following an action of denial of paternity, the Family Court established that the child born in the marriage was not the man's biological daughter. The court also ordered that the obligation on the part of the estranged husband was to cease forthwith.

In today's judgement the court noted that estranged husband was requesting the refund of all maintenance he had paid in respect of the child up to the date it was established that she was not his biological daughter. The sum he claimed was of €18,114.66.

The Civil Court upheld his request and ordered the woman to reimburse €18,114.66.