Lauryn Goodman’s lawyer has suggested Kyle Walker has treated his only daughter differently to his sons.
Charlotte Conner, who represented Ms Goodman in her High Court battle with the footballer over child maintenance, said her client wanted to ensure that one-year-old Kinara was treated the same financially as her older brother Kairo and her four-half brothers which Mr Walker has with wife Annie Kilner.
Ms Goodman, 33, was accused by a judge of treating Mr Walker, 34, who earns a reported £160,000 per week, as an ‘open-ended chequebook’ after she made demands for, amongst other things, an £31,000 Astro Turf and £500 a month for hot tub maintenance.
The influencer found herself being ridiculed for asking for the Astro Turf for Kinara as she believed she could play football for the England womens’ team when she’s older. Friends of Ms Goodman say that it is a luxury her older brothers have as they enjoy playing football.
Ms Conner said in a statement on Friday: ‘It is important to remember that these proceedings are about a one-year-old girl.
‘The child’s mother was motivated only to seek some equality of economic outcome and treatment for this child, as compared to her brother and half-brothers, which the daughter’s father found difficult to recognise as appropriate.
‘Indeed, for a case which is now known for transparency, it is ironic that this father sought to avoid publicly acknowledging his daughter.
‘Where a respondent parent – as here – can meet any award the court concludes to be appropriate, the scrutiny is always going to be on what the applicant parent asks for and whether it is reasonably required for the benefit of the child.
‘Yes, the mother was seeking financial provision on behalf of her infant daughter, but she has been harshly criticised for suggesting that all of the father’s children be on some semblance of a level playing field.
‘Sadly, the only daughter of Mr Walker is now set to be treated differently to her brothers. Seemingly, the fact that a mother suggested works be done to a home which would simultaneously enhance its value and benefit the children is newsworthy, when the fact that it is a property which belongs and will ultimately revert to the father is ignored.’
Ms Conner also appeared to lambast Mr Walker, and the court, for lifting the reporting restrictions for the case involving Kinara but not the one which took place three years ago when payments for her brother Kairo, four, were agreed.
The hearing for Kairo has never been reported under family court restrictions.
Ms Conner added: ‘Although there has been media coverage about the relationship between the parties in this case, most of the information about their children, the financial dispute between them and their respective financial circumstances has never been in the public domain.
‘Indeed, previous judgments have been anonymised and the proceedings in relation to the parties’ first child were afforded, by agreement, complete privacy. This is another example of how 1 year old Kinara, whose name was not widely known previously, has been treated differently to her brother.’
The judge labelled Ms Goodman as ‘often difficult, unreasonable and demanding’ and cast doubt on her credibility by stating she does not have a ‘good track record of telling the truth’.
Meanwhile Mr Walker was commended by the judge, described as a ‘perfectly straightforward witness….[who] gave his answers in an even and thoughtful tone’.
Ms Goodman believes she wasn’t given a fair hearing because Mr Walker had appeared in court so soon after the Euros where England reached the final.