Heather Mills, Paul McCartney divorce finalized

Sir Paul McCartney's divorce from Heather Mills was this morning finalized by a High Court judge in London.

Mr. Justice Bennett pronounced a decree nisi on the grounds that the couple have lived apart for two years.

Heather, 40, was awarded a $48.6m settlement from the former Beatle in March.

Neither Mills or McCartney were present at the hearing. They must now wait six weeks and one day before the decree is made absolute.

During the former couple's High Court battle in March, Heather was criticized in the judgment for giving "inconsistent and inaccurate" evidence.

Mr Justice Bennett said she had conducted her own defence "with courteous, yet steely determination" after earlier sacking her own lawyers. But he concluded: "Overall she was a less than impressive witness.

While Paul, whose whose fortune was put by the judge at $900 million, was praised for giving balanced evidence."

"He expressed himself moderately, though at times with justifiable irritation, if not anger," the judge said.

The pair married in 2002, four years after Paul's first wife, Linda, died of breast cancer. They separated four years later; and have a 4-year-old daughter together, Beatrice.