A court orders Salsa instructors in Hong Kong to return $8 million to a well-known banker for lessons she never received.

Monica Wong, 61, agreed to pay $15.4 million to dance teachers Mirko Saccani and his wife, Gaynor Fairweather, for unlimited private lessons and competitions from 2004 until 2012.

Wong is the head of HSBC's private banking unit in Asia and the daughter of a shipping tycoon.

After she paid an $8 million deposit, Wong said the relationship became contentious.

Saccani admitted calling Wong a "lazy cow" and telling her to "move her arse" during a crowded ballroom dancing lesson in August 2004.

Wong said she had an emotional breakdown as a result of the insults. She sued the couple for the $8 million deposit. The couple countersued Wong for the rest of the $15.4 million owed to them.

Deputy High Court judge Gerard Muttrie ordered the couple to repay damages totaling $8 million, plus interest.

He writes in his judgment, "Overall, I find the plaintiff's (Wong's) version of events much more believable than that given by the defendants."

He adds, "I do not see why, even if (Wong) was in default, she should not have her money back, subject to any claim for damages which the defendants might have... They took her money, for services in the future which she would never take up."