THE son of millionairess Vera Weisfield appeared before a sheriff yesterday after failing to pay #750 aliment to his estranged second wife.

Agents representing Mrs Anita McDonald - who had asked the court to consider civil imprisonment over the arrears - urged Sheriff David Pender to hold Mr John McDonald, from Templetonburn, near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, in contempt over the debt.

Mr McDonald had claimed during a previous hearing that the debt had already been cleared.

However, when the case was recalled yesterday to allow Mr McDonald to provide proof that the aliment had been paid, his counsel conceded that the court had previously been misled and the #750 debt still existed.

The court was told that #65 per week should have been paid to Mrs McDonald in accordance with a decree granted last November. The total sum owed covered the period to February this year - plus expenses.

Mr McDonald claimed he had not set out to deliberately mislead the court, and genuinely believed that he had sent a cheque to cover the arrears.

In addition, it was discovered that court papers showed Mr McDonald paid #100 a month in a separate settlement to his former wife from his failed first marriage.

At an earlier hearing, Mr McDonald had told a different sheriff that he paid #200 a month. His counsel explained Mr McDonald had voluntarily increased the aliment although there was no formal agreement.

In the circumstances, McDonald gave an undertaking to pay his second wife, Anita, of Espedair Street in Paisley, #85 per week.

Counsel stressed that Mr McDonald had not intended to display wilful disobedience to the court.

Sheriff Pender said: ``In the circumstances, I accept the explanation and will take this matter no further.''