A man has been ordered to pay his ex-girlfriend £28,500 in a landmark ruling for unmarried couples because he promised her 'the security a wife would have'.

David Southwell, 55, said he had never envisaged marrying Catherine Blackburn and had never promised her anything when they began their relationship in 2000.

The court heard the businessman had paid for the £240,000 home they shared in Droitwich, Worcestershire, and also covered the £100,000 mortgage, intending it should always stay in his name alone.

Court of Appeal judges have ruled that unmarried man David Southwell should pay his ex-girlfriend £28,500 in a landmark ruling after she was left 'effectively homeless' following their break-up

But the court heard Miss Blackburn and her two daughters were left stranded after the acrimonious break-down of their relationship in 2012.

Ruling on the case last year, Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC said that Mr Southwell was 'shrewd, cautious and guarded' and had not wanted to marry Miss Blackburn because he knew what she would be able to claim should they break up.

Now a judge has ruled Mr Southwell, a claims handler, should give Miss Blackburn a £28,500 stake in the property to uphold his previous promise of security.

Dismissing the appeal lodged by Mr Southwell, Lord Justice Tomlinson said that to go back on the assurances he gave her would be 'unconscionable'.

Insisting he should not pay her the money, Mr Southwell claimed he had no legal obligation to Ms Blackburn after their relationship ended.

But the judge ruled that he 'did reassure her that she would always have a home and be secure in this one'.

Lord Justice Tomlinson said Mr Southwell had told her that he was 'taking on a long-term commitment to provide her with a secure home'.

He added that Miss Blackburn had 'abandoned her secure home', in which she had invested what little money she had, to move in with Mr Southwell.

During the case, the court heard how Miss Blackburn, a divorcee, had taken a 'big risk' in giving up her job and home to move in with Mr Southwell.

The court heard he had 'reassured' her she would be secure after the couple made a joint decision to buy the house in 2002.

The court heard that Catherine Blackburn was left effectively homeless when their relationship broke down in 2012 (File picture posed by models)

But Mr Southwell 'made sure she was kept away from any paperwork that might suggest she had an interest', the court was told.

Judge Pearce-Higgins had previously said: 'He led her to believe that she would have the sort of security that a wife would have, in terms of accommodation at the house and income.

'And she relied on that'.

Judge Pearce-Higgins added it was unlikely Mr Southwell would have promised Miss Blackburn an equal share in the house, knowing it would have been 'against his interest to do so'.

He said: 'He did not envisage marriage because he was aware that, as a wife, Miss Blackburn might have a substantial claim against him in the event of a breakdown.

He led her to believe that she would have the sort of security that a wife would have, in terms of accommodation at the house and income. And she relied on that Lord Justice Tomlinson

'He was prepared to provide a home to Miss Blackburn and her two daughters, but it was to be on his terms.

'Both parties may have been 'in love', as they claim, believing that their relationship would never end, but I do not believe that either of them were blind to the realities'.

The court heard that, with the benefit of hindsight, Miss Blackburn realised that she had been 'too trusting and foolish' in failing to secure her rights.

But Judge Pearce-Higgins said Mr Southwell made 'reassuring promises to persuade her to move'.

He said added: 'He thought he was taking on a long-term commitment to provide her with a secure home and said so to her.

'He made such reassuring promises as were necessary to persuade her to move, and thereby give up her own independence and security.

'She was taking a big risk, moving from a secure rented house on which she had spent a lot of money, leaving her job and moving her children.