Grace Aidiniantz sues her son John over shortfall in takings

High Court judge extends injunction freezing his assets

Sherlock Holmes museum is visited by thousands of tourists each year

igh Court battle between family owners of Sherlock Holmes museum over who has rights to £2m in admission fees

A family dispute over who owns millions of pounds worth of revenues from the famous Sherlock Holmes museum in London has been taken to the High Court.



Grace Aidiniantz - who runs the Sherlock Holmes International Society with her daughter Jennifer Decoteau - is suing her son John Aidiniantz over almost £2 million worth of takings from the museum and gift shop in Baker Street.



A High Court judge this week agreed to extend an injunction requested by the Society which freezes Mr Aidinaintz's assets - including more than £500,000 kept in a safe.

Mr Aidiniantz started the museum in the fictional home of Sherlock Holmes - 221B Baker Street - with his mother's help in 1990, and it is has become a lucrative business.

The business included Mr Aidinantz's half-sisters Ms Decoteau and Linda Riley. Money from the museum regularly taken to Grace Aidiniantz's home before being banked, the Times reports.

But after Mr Aidiniantz fell out with his sisters, they claimed to have found a 'substantial shortfall' in their accounts and that after August 2010 money from the museum was only deposited in the Society's account irregularly.

In response, Ms Riley withdrew £175,000 from the bank account of a company run by Mr Aidiniantz. He then tried to get the money back by obtaining an injunction freezing his sister's assets, according to the Times.



Mr Aidiniantz claims the shortfall in the Society's accounts was caused by his sisters and that the Society does not have the right to keep revenue from the museum.

The judge, Mrs Justice Proudman extended the injunction on Mr Aidiniantz after finding that he had not made sufficient effort to disclose his accounts. The case is due to be heard in May.



Popular: The Sherlock Holmes Museum in London's Baker Street is a popular attraction for tourists from across around the world

Fame: Blue Plaque on the wall of the museum at number 221b Baker Street - the fictional home of Sherlock Holmes

The Sherlock Holmes industry is worth millions of pounds a year worldwide, including sales of the book - which was written by Arthur Conan Doyle - films, and memorabilia.

The most recent Sherlock Holmes films - starring Robert Downy Jr as the detective - made more than £600 million at the box off globally.

Speaking separately to Mail Online, Mr Aidiniantz said there was 'no problem' between him and his mother 'and never had been.' He said he had not spoken to his mother since September.



He said he had stopped putting revenue from the business into the Society's account because of concerns about a missing sum of money - thought to be around £400,000.

Lucrative: story of Sherlock Holmes has been made into several films, including Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows starring Robert Downey Jr (left) as Holmes and Jude Law (right) as Dr Watson