A football club doctor who has worked for Edinburgh City and Stirling Albion has four months to find a solution after his 2021 divorce was overturned despite him having remarried in 2023
A football club doctor could end up having two wives if a bombshell legal judgement gets the green light.
Bjarni Eyvindsson got a divorce in 2021, but has been told it can be reversed over a financial wrangle. During his time as a football club doctor he has worked for Stirling Albion, Dunfermline, Edinburgh City and Hibs.
He married his second wife in 2023, and now the 51-year-old faces a unique and legally complicated situation where he will legally have two wives. For Dr Eyvindsson, the future appears uncertain as he has months to resolve the issues. He said: “That is something we haven’t been able to get proper answers to.
“At the moment we are looking in to what options we have. We have been given four months to find a solution. Given that I have married again all I want to do is put this behind me and move forward.”
The situation came to be after his ex-wife, Linda Hafthorsdotir, 50, claimed she hadn’t agreed to their marriage ending and that there were “financial loose ends” from their separation that had not been resolved before the divorce was granted and finalised. A procedural error by her solicitor meant it wasn’t contested, reports the Daily Record.
Now, a judge in Scotland’s highest court – the Court of Session in Edinburgh – has sided with the ex-wife. He ruled that the divorce should not have been granted and that she is entitled to have it reduced or overturned. Lord Cubie has given the couple four months to resolve their financial issues or the original divorce becomes invalid – leaving Dr Eyvidsson married twice.
“I have proceeded in this way to avoid the necessity of granting decree with the consequences that would have for the husband’s marriage,” he said. Dr Eyvidsson claimed all financial matters relating to their marriage had been resolved and thought his ex-wife had chosen not to contest the divorce.
The couple, who have four children together, were married in Reykjavík in 1998, separated in September 2018 and were divorced at Dunfermline Sheriff Court in November 2021. Dr Eyvindsson then remarried in December 2023. The court was told that at the date of separation the husband had a pension worth more than £177,000 and that his ex wife was not aware of the value.
Lord Cubie added: “There seems to have been an imbalance, perhaps even a gross imbalance, in the division of the matrimonial property. The decree should not have been granted given the obvious outstanding financial matters to be resolved.”
The ex wife’s solicitor claimed he had sent the necessary documentation – called an NID – to notify the court that the divorce was being contested. She lodged an appeal against the decree in February 2022 after finding out about it on social media. In a 12 page written judgement Lord Cubie accused her ex of obtaining the divorce against his wife’s wishes and taking advantage of the “procedural mishap”.
He added: “I consider that the husband had acted opportunistically, with no real belief that all outstanding matters had been resolved. The wife was clear that she wished to defend the divorce action. She was surprised when the decree of divorce was granted. She cannot be held responsible for the failure to lodge the NID. I consider that this is a case where the wife has established that the decree of divorce should be reduced.”
Dr Eyvindsson currently works for a private clinic in Glasgow and previously spent 14 years in hospital A&E for NHS Lothian. He has a diploma in sports medicine from FIFA and left his post as club doctor at Stirling Albion last year. The doctor told the Sunday Mail that he didn’t know how Lord Cubie’s decision would impact on his current marriage. However, he was hoping the case could be resolved without any further legal action.
Garry Sturrock of law firm Brodies said Lord Cubie’s decision could render the husband’s second marriage as void as he would be unable legally to have two wives. He added: “The court fixed a hearing to allow the parties to consider how to resolve the issues arising from the reduction of the divorce decree.
“In doing so, the court acknowledged the profound implications of its decision, especially for the husband’s subsequent marriage. If the reduction of the divorce decree renders the second marriage void, the consequences could be far-reaching. This serves as a stark reminder of the responsibility of solicitors to approach family law disputes with reasonableness, efficiency, professionalism, and a focus on minimising unnecessary conflict for the benefit of all involved.”
Linda Hafthorsdotir, who lives in Edinburgh, declined to comment when contacted by the Sunday Mail.
