Divorce on the rise as flirty texts catch adulterers out

Technology puts people within messaging distance of old or new flames and means that a spouse can be cheating when sitting in the same room with their husband and wife. Photo / 123RF

Playing away from home used to be a case of one affair conducted in secret.

But technology means one is no longer enough - and lawyers say an increasing number of divorce cases involve partners embroiled with as many as five others.

Such clandestine trysts can be mostly or entirely conducted online with flirty text messages, Facebook posts or even LinkedIn messages proving many an adulterer's downfall, reports Telegraph UK.

Multiple law firms say they have seen a rising number of such cases, with one firm's cases rising from less than 50 a year to 65 over five years.

Abigail Lowther, associate solicitor with Hall Brown Family Law, which provided the figures, said that some of her female clients discovered that their other halves had had more than five flings.

She said that infidelity was "skyrocketing" compared to other types of divorce-related behaviour.

"Some women complained about technology quite literally putting temptation at their partners' fingertips, providing them with opportunities to establish and maintain extra-marital relationships via social media and dating websites even while they are in the same room.

"Others remarked on how an improving economy had required their spouses to spend more time on business - either with colleagues or clients - with those business dealings leading to infidelity," she said.

Joanne Edwards, partner and head of family at Forsters said she had experienced a "marked increase in infidelity as a result of technology".

"Technology puts people within messaging distance of old or new flames and means that a spouse can be cheating when sitting in the same room with their husband and wife," she said.

Others warned that such affairs are more easily discovered because of the digital footprint they leave behind.

Joanna Pratt, partner and head of family at Thomson Snell & Passmore said in some cases people have "a different telephone for each liaison".

She added: "Technology has also made it easier for illicit relationships to be uncovered - people forget to close or properly delete emails, text messages are sent or received but not deleted, and photographs can appear on Facebook which although they might appear on a totally unconnected person's Facebook page, disclose to the whole world the nature of relationships."

But lawyers also warned that such evidence would not be enough to petition for divorce on the grounds of adultery.

"Finding suggestive or even explicit exchanges does not amount to enough proof to substantiate a claim of adultery.

"That specific allegation is the one likely to be contested, whereas the suggestion of unreasonable behaviour is generally thought by respondents to be more acceptable," added Ms Lowther.

The most recent figures from the ONS showed that 90 per cent of adults now have access to the internet.