A LEADING national child maintenance expert and head of litigation at Warrington legal firm FDR Law has secured the biggest arrears case of more than £190,000 for a single mum-of-three.

Stephen Lawson has been fighting on behalf of the mum following her divorce from her husband in 1999.

Her former husband drifted in and out of work and she failed to receive any substantial child maintenance.

After struggling to bring up her children alone, in 2005 she tried to secure proper maintenance through the CSA after informing them that her husband was now working on oil rigs.

But it was argued that because his employers were based abroad, they were powerless to obtain any information about his income.

Mr Lawson said: “In 2014, the CSA concluded that because my client's ex-husband had paid some sporadic maintenance at the low interim rate, he had actually overpaid, meaning she had to pay over £3,000 back.

By the time she came to see me for advice, she was desperately worried.”

Stephen Lawson advised her to appeal the decision and as a result of the new assessments prepared by the CSA this resulted in arrears of more £190,000.

But despite the appeal taking place in February, the mum-of-three has still not recovered any money from her husband with Mr Lawson still fighting the case on her behalf.