Five years heals guilt for divorcee

A divorced father has described how it has taken him five years to let go of his guilt over how separation affected his son.

Steve Waddup explained to Mail Online that the spark in his marriage to Gail Church disappeared soon after they tied the knot and they became more like roommates than lovers, but he had not realised how much a split would impact him when a child was involved.

The situation got worse when they had a baby - Jamie - as Mr Waddup felt inadequate as a father. The decision to see divorce solicitors was initiated by him, but Ms Church knew their relationship was over too.

But they now have new partners and are both happier. Mr Waddup reflected: "Gail and I get on with each other's spouses, and Jamie has four parents who love him. I felt so guilty about the effect the divorce would have on my son. After five years and a lot of adjustments, I'm happy again. I hope Jamie is too."

One of the most difficult parts of a divorce for any parents is the battle over custody of children. DailyRecord.co.uk reported that US actor Mel Gibson is still fighting for custody of his daughter Lucia with former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, while the star is also due to finalise his divorce from Robyn Moore in early January 2012.

The mother of seven is due to be paid £271 million in what is believed to be the most expensive divorce in the history of Hollywood. Moore was married to Gibson for 31 years.