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The ex-wife of Vladimir Putin's judo sparring partner faces time in prison after she refused to pay her divorce lawyers and failed to turn up at court, The Telegraph reports.

Ballet instructor Natalia Rotenberg has spent years battling in the courts with former partner Arkady Rotenberg, a sanctioned oligarch and close friend of Russian president Mr Putin, over a £27m Surrey mansion the couple previously shared.

But she is now embroiled in a row with Candey, the City law firm that previously represented her in her legal tussle, after failing to pay her lawyers and hiring new representatives.

Candey is pursuing her for £87,000, including legal fees and costs, following a hearing at London's High Court on Thursday.

James Taylor, a pupil barrister at Candey, told Master Amanda Stevens, the presiding judge, that Ms Rotenberg had ignored letters, emails and WhatsApp messages demanding that she turn up at court for questioning regarding her assets.

Mr Taylor said she had “flouted” multiple court orders and “failed to engage in any way” with attempts to contact her.

After Candey was previously awarded costs, Ms Rotenberg had previously failed to turn up to examinations in court in November and March, prompting Mr Justice Ritchie to hand her a 21-day prison sentence. It was suspended on condition she appeared at court on Thursday, which she also failed to do.

As a result, Master Stevens awarded further costs to Candey and ordered that a warrant for her arrest be issued.

It comes after Ms Rotenberg last year had her £8.7m London flat repossessed after failing to make mortgage payments.

She is currently married to Armenian businessman and former MP Tigran Arzakantsyan.