A JUDGE found in favour of the former girlfriend of a Royal Marine from the North-East who was killed in action in a dispute with his family over a £290,000 will.

But Rachel Douglas was awarded less than relatives of Sergeant John “Jacky”

Manuel, who was blown up by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2008, and who had offered to settle the case four months ago.

The 36-year-old council worker wanted £60,000 of his estate, while the marine’s brother, Trevor, who was executor of the will, said Sgt Manuel told him weeks before he died she should receive £10,000.

The two parties fought a bitter legal fight at Sunderland County Court this week, which ended with Recorder Timothy Kerr disagreeing with the family’s claim that she was just a casual girlfriend of the serviceman.

Ms Douglas proved she had lived with him continuously for more than two years prior to his death, in Ouston, near Chester-le-Street, in a relationship as his partner. That meant legally she could have more of a claim on his estate.

The judge said: ‘‘There was an emotional tie which in my judgement was constant.

There was a single residence and a single domestic economy, albeit contributed to in different amounts from different bank accounts.”

During the five-day hearing, the family claimed Sgt Manuel’s relationship with Ms Douglas was rocky and Heather McAdam was produced as a witness claiming she had an affair with the 38- year-old marine.

Ms Douglas, a researcher with South Tyneside Council, has now moved to Morpeth, Northumberland, and the judge ordered Sgt Manuel’s estate pay her £17,440. That equates to £10,000, plus £7,440 to cover her mortgage for a year.

That figure was less than the £20,000 offered to her in September by Sgt Manuel’s estate in a bid to halt legal proceedings.

Both sides will pay a roughly equal share of the costs, the judge ruled.

The judge said it was correct that Sgt Manuel’s mother Pauline was the major beneficiary as she had brought up three sons single-handedly in Gateshead and had worked long hours in factories to support her children.

Now retired, she would have to live on a pension of a few thousand pounds were it not for her son’s legacy, the court heard.

Neither side wished to comment after the proceedings.