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Charles Saatchi "made threat to destroy" Nigella Lawson | |
(35 minutes later) | |
TV cook and author Nigella Lawson has told a court her ex-husband Charles Saatchi threatened to "destroy" her with "false" allegations of drug use. | TV cook and author Nigella Lawson has told a court her ex-husband Charles Saatchi threatened to "destroy" her with "false" allegations of drug use. |
Her assistants Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo are facing fraud charges at Isleworth Crown Court. | |
They have claimed they were allowed to use credit cards in exchange for covering up her drug use. | |
Giving evidence, Ms Lawson said Mr Saatchi threatened to "destroy" her if she did not "clear his name". | |
She said that the allegations that have been made about her at the trial had followed "a long summer of bullying and abuse". | She said that the allegations that have been made about her at the trial had followed "a long summer of bullying and abuse". |
"I have been put on trial here where I am called to answer, and glad to answer the allegations, and [in] the world's press," she said. | "I have been put on trial here where I am called to answer, and glad to answer the allegations, and [in] the world's press," she said. |
She said she had been reluctant to give evidence in the trial, which had provoked an angry reaction from Mr Saatchi. | She said she had been reluctant to give evidence in the trial, which had provoked an angry reaction from Mr Saatchi. |
"He had said to me if I didn't get back to him and clear his name, he would destroy me," she said. | "He had said to me if I didn't get back to him and clear his name, he would destroy me," she said. |
'Broke our heart' | |
Ms Lawson said following the "awful incident at Scotts", the "false" allegations began circulating on a "PR blog". | Ms Lawson said following the "awful incident at Scotts", the "false" allegations began circulating on a "PR blog". |
Mr Saatchi was cautioned for assault after images of him grasping Ms Lawson by the neck at the London restaurant appeared in a newspaper. | Mr Saatchi was cautioned for assault after images of him grasping Ms Lawson by the neck at the London restaurant appeared in a newspaper. |
She said the allegations on the blog were "dedicated to salvaging Mr Saatchi's reputation and destroying mine". | She said the allegations on the blog were "dedicated to salvaging Mr Saatchi's reputation and destroying mine". |
On Friday, Mr Saatchi told the court that he had "no proof" that Ms Lawson had ever taken drugs. | |
The couple divorced in July after 10 years of marriage. | |
The Grillo sisters, Francesca, 35, and Elisabetta, 41, are accused of using credit cards loaned to them by the couple to spend more than £685,000 on themselves. | |
Ms Lawson told the court Elisabetta did not have a strong moral compass, but she said the 41-year-old was a "stalwart" who had helped her through the death of her first husband. | |
She said the allegations of fraud "broke our heart" when they were revealed to her and Mr Saatchi. | |
Ms Lawson said Elisabetta had been "a rock", adding: "I would have done anything for her". | |
The case continues. |