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I haven't stopped loving Charles and Nigella, Francesca Grillo tells court I haven't stopped loving Charles and Nigella, Francesca Grillo tells court
(35 minutes later)
A personal assistant accused by Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson of defrauding their household of more than £500,000 has told a jury she considered the couple like family and still loved them.A personal assistant accused by Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson of defrauding their household of more than £500,000 has told a jury she considered the couple like family and still loved them.
Francesca Grillo, 36, who is on trial with her sister Elisabetta, said she had become like a sister to Lawson's teenage children and had an "incredible relationship" with Saatchi "until this happened and it all started to become unreal".Francesca Grillo, 36, who is on trial with her sister Elisabetta, said she had become like a sister to Lawson's teenage children and had an "incredible relationship" with Saatchi "until this happened and it all started to become unreal".
Grillo is accused of the unauthorised use of household credit cards and taxi accounts. Taking to the stand in the third week of the trial, she said she was given access to a NatWest card and a taxi account for household and personal use.Grillo is accused of the unauthorised use of household credit cards and taxi accounts. Taking to the stand in the third week of the trial, she said she was given access to a NatWest card and a taxi account for household and personal use.
Isleworth crown court heard that she started working for Saatchi in 2001 after a short interview in his "silver room". He gave her the card and told her to use it to withdraw her £300-a-week salary and pay for household items and "anything else to my liking", she said. She was allowed to use it to furnish her flat in the property, and for clothes and travel.Isleworth crown court heard that she started working for Saatchi in 2001 after a short interview in his "silver room". He gave her the card and told her to use it to withdraw her £300-a-week salary and pay for household items and "anything else to my liking", she said. She was allowed to use it to furnish her flat in the property, and for clothes and travel.
Grillo explained how all her possessions were kept in the flat, which adjoined the family's quarters though a swing door. She said Lawson, her children, Saatchi's daughter Phoebe and the other personal assistants would sometimes come in. She kept her collection of prized shoes on a window sill, there for all to see, she said.Grillo explained how all her possessions were kept in the flat, which adjoined the family's quarters though a swing door. She said Lawson, her children, Saatchi's daughter Phoebe and the other personal assistants would sometimes come in. She kept her collection of prized shoes on a window sill, there for all to see, she said.
She said she was always allowed to use the household's Comcab account. "For 10 years I used Comcab and it was never raised as a problem and my understanding was I could use it any time I needed whether personal or work related." She was never told to ask permission, she said. She said she was always allowed to use the household's Comcab account. "For 10 years I used Comcab and it was never raised as a problem and my understanding was I could use it any time I needed, whether personal or work related." She was never told to ask permission, she said.
Asked to describe her relationship with the family, she said: "You love someone and they love you back. You go beyond loyalty to make them happy and yourself happy."Asked to describe her relationship with the family, she said: "You love someone and they love you back. You go beyond loyalty to make them happy and yourself happy."
She continued: "I haven't stopped loving Charles, Nigella or the children. I would put their needs before mine and that of my family. I am extremely, extremely fond of them."She continued: "I haven't stopped loving Charles, Nigella or the children. I would put their needs before mine and that of my family. I am extremely, extremely fond of them."
She said the court had heard evidence about Saatchi's ""scatty kind of temper", but she had had an "incredible relationship" with him.She said the court had heard evidence about Saatchi's ""scatty kind of temper", but she had had an "incredible relationship" with him.
"Since 2012 my life has changed," she said. "It has been a shock. It has been highly stressful because there hasn't been a day when the crown court case or civil court case hasn't been in my mind.""Since 2012 my life has changed," she said. "It has been a shock. It has been highly stressful because there hasn't been a day when the crown court case or civil court case hasn't been in my mind."
Earlier a former aide to Saatchi told the court that she was "committing career suicide" by giving evidence in the Grillos' defence.Earlier a former aide to Saatchi told the court that she was "committing career suicide" by giving evidence in the Grillos' defence.
Sharrine Scholtz, who worked as an accounts assistant for Saatchi's company Conarco between 2004 and 2009, said there had been no distinction between personal and business spending on credit cards used by the Grillos and two other assistants who are not on trial, and they were authorised to buy designer goods for themselves on domestic accounts.Sharrine Scholtz, who worked as an accounts assistant for Saatchi's company Conarco between 2004 and 2009, said there had been no distinction between personal and business spending on credit cards used by the Grillos and two other assistants who are not on trial, and they were authorised to buy designer goods for themselves on domestic accounts.
She said she processed credit card statements and allocated to business accounts spending on restaurants, tickets to events, clothes, beauty treatments, hotels and shopping bills at stores such as John Lewis and Peter Jones.She said she processed credit card statements and allocated to business accounts spending on restaurants, tickets to events, clothes, beauty treatments, hotels and shopping bills at stores such as John Lewis and Peter Jones.
Scholtz said the family's assistants, including the Grillos, Anzelle Wasserman and Zoe Wales, never sought permission to make purchases on the cards through the accounts office in which she worked in the basement of Saatchi's house. She said that on some occasions Wasserman and Wales told her Lawson had given them permission to make personal expenditure on the cards.Scholtz said the family's assistants, including the Grillos, Anzelle Wasserman and Zoe Wales, never sought permission to make purchases on the cards through the accounts office in which she worked in the basement of Saatchi's house. She said that on some occasions Wasserman and Wales told her Lawson had given them permission to make personal expenditure on the cards.
Cross-examined by Jane Carpenter for the prosecution, Scholtz denied trying to help the Grillos with her evidence. She said she had "nothing to gain by assisting them. I am essentially committing career suicide by speaking out against him. I am here to speak the truth."Cross-examined by Jane Carpenter for the prosecution, Scholtz denied trying to help the Grillos with her evidence. She said she had "nothing to gain by assisting them. I am essentially committing career suicide by speaking out against him. I am here to speak the truth."
Anthony Metzer QC, defending Elisabetta Grillo, asked Scholtz to elaborate. She said: "I believe that somebody needs to speak up now. I believe most people are too scared to … Anyone who speaks up against the Saatchi Gallery in any way would be blackmarking themselves from working for anyone else in the art world."Anthony Metzer QC, defending Elisabetta Grillo, asked Scholtz to elaborate. She said: "I believe that somebody needs to speak up now. I believe most people are too scared to … Anyone who speaks up against the Saatchi Gallery in any way would be blackmarking themselves from working for anyone else in the art world."
Scholtz said that towards the end of her employment she became stressed working up to 19-hour days and weekends, and she was signed off sick for depression by her doctor. She said Rahul Gajjar, Saatchi's head of finance, wanted her to sign a compromise agreement ending her employment.Scholtz said that towards the end of her employment she became stressed working up to 19-hour days and weekends, and she was signed off sick for depression by her doctor. She said Rahul Gajjar, Saatchi's head of finance, wanted her to sign a compromise agreement ending her employment.
"He threatened to use the fact that I was using the taxi account to get home from work against me," she said."He threatened to use the fact that I was using the taxi account to get home from work against me," she said.
"Something that you were expressly allowed to do, he threatened to turn against you," said Metzer."Something that you were expressly allowed to do, he threatened to turn against you," said Metzer.
Scholtz said she was also wrongly accused of taking money from the petty cash. The threat if she didn't sign the agreement seemed clear, she said. "I thought perhaps I would be standing here instead of Lisa and Francesca," she said.Scholtz said she was also wrongly accused of taking money from the petty cash. The threat if she didn't sign the agreement seemed clear, she said. "I thought perhaps I would be standing here instead of Lisa and Francesca," she said.
Carpenter put it to Scholtz that she couldn't properly remember which credit card accounts she was processing. Scholtz said she remembered processing the Coutts accounts.Carpenter put it to Scholtz that she couldn't properly remember which credit card accounts she was processing. Scholtz said she remembered processing the Coutts accounts.
The case continues.The case continues.
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