A mother of three says her businessman ex-husband has failed to pay rent and private school fees and should be jailed for contempt of court.

Melanie Olu-Williams on Tuesday told a High Court judge that trying to get money out of Oscar Olu-Williams was "like getting blood out of a stone".

She told Mr Justice Williams that Mr Olu-Williams had "failed to carry out" court orders and undertakings and should be committed to prison.

The judge heard that Mr Olu-Williams, who is in his sixties, and Miss Olu-Williams, who is in her fifties, divorced four years ago after a 16-year marriage.

He was told that they had lived in a house worth more than £4.5 million in Fulham.

Miss Olu-Williams said Mr Olu-Williams had failed to pay rent on the new home, near Epsom, where she lived with their children.

She said he owed more than £7,000 and she had feared eviction.

Mr Olu-Williams, who has been given legal aid to pay for lawyers, said his ex-wife's "enforcement strategy" was an "abuse of process".

He says his business income had been "sporadic and inconsistent" since the 2008 "credit crunch" and says it is a "can't pay", not a "won't pay", case.

Mr Justice Williams is analysing Miss Olu-Williams's "committal to prison" application at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

He is expected to deliver a ruling later this week.

Miss Olu-Williams said he had also failed to pay private school fees.

She said school authorities "went after" her as a result and at one stage her car had been seized.

"He promises to pay when we are in court and then when we leave court everything changes," she said.

"It's like trying to get blood out of a stone with this man."

She told the judge: "You wouldn't like to see my bank account because there's nothing in it."

Another judge had analysed preliminary issues in the case at a High Court hearing in London in February.

A barrister representing Miss Olu-Williams had told that hearing that Mr Olu Williams was "a highly intelligent and sophisticated businessman" who was a "serial defaulter".

Mr Olu-Williams disputes his wife's allegations.

A barrister representing him told Mr Justice Williams that the application should be dismissed.

"(Miss Olu-Williams's) entire enforcement strategy is abuse of process," said Michael Horton.

"Where he is in breach of orders or provisions to pay money, it is because he is unable to pay."

Mr Horton added: "This is a 'can't pay', not a 'won't pay', case."