Pop star Katy Perry and her husband Orlando Bloom beamed with bliss as they stepped out in New York this Friday.
Two days ago, they won a three-year legal battle against a disabled veteran over the sale of his $15 million home in Montecito.
The couple bought the 8.9-acre property in 2020 from 84-year-old Carl Westcott, who later withdrew the sale.
Westcott claimed he was under the influence of painkillers at the time and didn’t realize what he had agreed to until days after the drugs had worn off – but this Wednesday a Los Angeles judge ruled that he was of sound mind when the sale was made .
Fresh from their triumph, Perry and Bloom arrived for a romantic dinner date in Manhattan and walked down the street holding hands.
Living it up: Pop star Katy Perry and her husband Orlando Bloom beamed with bliss as they stepped out in New York this Friday
On the move: Two days ago, they won a three-year legal battle against a disabled veteran over the sale of his $15 million home in Montecito
That boils down to this: The couple bought the 8.9-acre property in 2020 from 84-year-old Carl Westcott, who later withdrew the sale, saying he was taking painkillers at the time
Perry was smartly dressed in a soft blue coat that shone in the streetlight and was trimmed with lush faux fur.
She wore her jet black hair in a chic 1960s updo and accentuated her distinctive features with makeup and a touch of dark lipstick.
The Ur So Gay singer accessorized with a small black handbag and completed her ensemble with a pair of kitten heels.
Meanwhile, at night, Bloom crazy-modeled a pair of sunglasses, layered a tartan jacket over a matching shirt, and slipped on a pair of charcoal jeans.
In July 2020, Carl Westcott signed a real estate deal agreeing to sell the 8.9-acre Santa Barbara estate to Perry – but later claimed he was under the influence of opioids and painkillers following serious back surgery.
Westcott, who suffers from Huntington’s disease, said he only realized what he had signed when the effects of the painkillers wore off days later and then tried to back out of the contract.
But a judge in Los Angeles ruled in favor of the celebrity couple against him on Wednesday.
According to People, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Lipner said, “Westcott presented no convincing evidence that he lacked the capacity to make a real estate deal.”
Loved up: Fresh from their triumph, Perry and Bloom arrived for a lovey-dovey dinner date in Manhattan and walked down the street holding hands
Doers and doers: Perry was smartly dressed in a soft blue coat that shone in the streetlights and was trimmed with lush faux fur
The Look: She wore her jet-black hair in a chic 1960s-style updo and accentuated her distinctive features with makeup and a pop of dark lipstick
A Los Angeles judge has sided with the couple pictured here after they purchased the lavish Montecito estate
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Perry’s attorney Eric Rowen said, “The evidence shows that Mr. Westcott breached the contract for no reason other than that he changed his mind.”
“We look forward to concluding this matter no later than the compensation phase scheduled for February 13th and 14th.”
In the ruling, Rolling Stone also reported that Judge Lipner found that Westcott’s own medical expert had been inconsistent in his testimony about his condition.
Perry has also demanded millions of dollars in lost rent from Westcott, which they could have asked for on the eight-bedroom house.
Westcott is a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne and is known for owning several successful businesses, most notably 1-800-Flowers.
Westcott was 80 years old at the time of the sale and had suffered from Huntington’s disease since 2015.
The rare disease attacks areas of the brain that control voluntary movements, with one of the symptoms being dementia.
According to Westcott’s original complaint, he never put the property up for sale or spoke to an agent about putting the 9,285-square-foot home on the market.
Carl Westcott, seen here, had tried to cancel the deal to sell the $15 million home to the couple
Westcott bought the home in May 2020 and moved in with Perry just two months before the sale.
He planned to live there as his primary residence “for the rest of his life,” the complaint says.
On July 11, 2020, Westcott was released from the hospital after undergoing serious six-hour back surgery.
Three days later, on July 14, Bernie Gudvi, who represented Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, presented Westcott with the written offer, which was for more money than he paid for the house on May 29, 2020.
The next day, Westcott signed the document prepared by the brokerage firm.
However, his lawyers argued that Westcott “failed to understand the nature and likely consequences of his actions.”
Days later, Westcott “gained mental clarity” and recognized the weight of his signature on the purchase agreement, the complaint says.
On July 22, Westcott emailed Berkshire Hathaway, the dual agent for sellers and buyers, telling him he did not want to sell his home.
When the effects of the painkillers wore off days later, Westcott claimed he realized what he had signed and terminated the contract. The property can be seen here
In it he described how he had been under the influence of painkillers and said he was “in the last years of his life and could not sell his house”.
Speaking to the New York Post, Westcott’s son Chart told the newspaper: “If the judge’s decision follows the letter of the law, it shows that the law has no meaning.”
“Katy Perry must now testify in person to receive her ‘damages.'” We look forward to her testimony and to her facing possible sanctions for perjury.
“Perry has pigeonholed herself by claiming she lost years of rental income and was owed damages, which contradicts her sworn statements about wanting to live in the home.”
“We hope Ms. Perry enjoys her Pyrrhic victory as she explains to her fans that she twice took a home from her elders. “Finally, we wish the judge had spelled our father’s name correctly.”
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom attend Variety’s “Power Of Women: Los Angeles” event on September 30, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California
Perry and Bloom had written a personal letter to Westcott after selling the property in 2020.
It said: “As you know we are expecting a baby next month and know this is the best place to bring him home and raise him.”
The heartfelt message from “Katy and Orlando” continued: “This home will be a respite, one where we can grow together as a family.”
“We have overcome some challenges in the last week, our beloved dog Mighty died. In the face of such devastating news, it is a ray of hope that we are the lucky people who bought your home to get through this difficult time.
“We hope you appreciate handing over your home to a very loving couple who are expecting their first child and have nothing but joy at the thought of spending their lives and future memories there.”
Perry and Bloom wrote a personal letter to Westcott after selling the property in 2020 (see here).
Westcott’s family had previously attacked the couple for “attacking the vulnerable” in the lawsuit.
His son said: “[Westcott] is in a vulnerable state and they attacked him, they tricked him.’
This isn’t the first time Katy Perry has faced legal issues while buying a home.
In 2015, she got into a dispute with older Roman Catholic nuns over the sale of a monastery.
Perry bought the building in 2015, paying $14.5 million in cash to Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez.
Sister Rita Callanan and Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, who have lived at the monastery since the 1970s, claimed Gomez had no right to sell the property and said they had sold it weeks earlier for $15.5 million.
But the Archdiocese of Los Angeles sued to block the deal, saying it was the nuns who overstepped their authority.
Sister Rita Callanan (right) and Sister Catherine Rose Holzman (left) lived on the eight-acre property, which includes a 30,000-square-foot Spanish-Gothic house, until 2011
A judge ruled against the nuns in 2016, awarding Perry and the archdiocese total damages of more than $15 million.
During the 2018 legal battle, Sister Holzman, 89, collapsed during a court appearance and died.
Sister Callanan, the only surviving nun who lived in the Order of the Most Sacred and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, said at the time that Katy Perry had “blood on her hands.”