JUDAS PRIEST rocker Ken Downing shocked his lover by announcing he wanted to put on a wedding dress, a court was told.The veteran heavy metal guitarist made the bizarre demand after he spotted a bride in a restaurant.
His girlfriend — named Julie — was dumbstruck and the couple later split
The story was told by the woman who took Julie's place — and is now suing Downing, 52, for a share of his fortune after he dumped her.
Sarah Lissimore, 35, said: "Ken told me he and Julie had stopped talking after he told her he would like to try a bride's dress on.
"He said they were in a restaurant together and she went dead silent."
Sarah said she fell for Downing — KK to his fans — ten years ago.
She claimed she quit a promising career in pharmacy to live with him at his £2million Shropshire estate, Astbury Hall.
Sarah claimed Downing bought her an engagement ring from Argos and asked her to wear it on her wedding finger.
She also said she put up with years of abuse.
When the affair collapsed, she demanded a cash settlement — but he offered her a tankful of petrol for her car.
She told Birmingham County Court: "I went to my solicitor because of the abuse I suffered year after year after year. He told me I could leave and he would give me a tank of petrol and that was it. I was shocked."
Sarah said she had run the estate while Downing toured with JUDAS PRIEST, whose hit albums include "Screaming For Vengeance".
She claimed she is entitled to part of his fortune for investing "time and skill" in Astbury instead of her own career — and is now skint [i.e. broke].
Downing insisted the ring he gave Sarah was not an engagement band.
He said: "She knew before she came to Astbury that I did not want to be married."
Downing added: "Everything I do and every penny I have goes towards the estate — it is my passion, my pension and my life."
And he said the idea that he would share Astbury "is in my mind insulting. It is mine." The hearing continues.
Now look folks, here is my perspective on this perplexing situation. So what if KK wants to wear a dress to his wedding. Its his wedding right? Julie leaves him just because of that??? C'mon, Julie, where's the love?? So KK, then hooks up with Sarah. He lets her stay at his place and order his staff around. "Oh, Bob, please make sure the boxwoods are pruned...when you're finished...come up and trim my bush. Don't worry about KK, he's on tour." So of course KK probably learns of this when he gets back. The boxwoods look like shit because Bob spent more time trimming Sarah's bush than pruning the real ones. When she decides to take off, KK's generous spirit comes out and he even offers to fill up her tank with gas. What a great gesture on his part. Now the whore wants part of his estate.
Man, I tell ya, some people have got it rough. 
posted February 09, 2003 10:26
posted February 09, 2003 18:16
