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Nigella Lawson's assistant 'found banknotes coated with white powder' Nigella Lawson's assistant 'found banknotes coated with white powder'
(35 minutes later)
Nigella Lawson's assistant found rolled banknotes coated with remnants of cocaine after dinner parties at the celebrity chef's home, regularly found makeshift snorting tubes in her handbags and was told she smoked cannabis with her children, a court has heard.Nigella Lawson's assistant found rolled banknotes coated with remnants of cocaine after dinner parties at the celebrity chef's home, regularly found makeshift snorting tubes in her handbags and was told she smoked cannabis with her children, a court has heard.
Francesca Grillo, who worked with the TV chef for 11 years, told a jury in her trial for fraud that she also found cannabis debris in the study where she would write her bestselling cookery books and that Lawson would also swig the prescription tranquilliser straight from bottles she kept in the kitchen and her bedroom at the Eaton Square, Belgravia. Francesca Grillo, who worked with the TV chef for 11 years, told a jury in her trial for fraud that she also found cannabis debris in the study where she would write her bestselling cookery books and that Lawson would also swig a prescription tranquilliser straight from bottles she kept in the kitchen and her bedroom in the house in Eaton Square, Belgravia.
Grillo, with her sister Elisabetta, 41, denies the unauthorised spending of £685,000 on credit cards and taxi accounts supplied by Lawson's ex-husband Charles Saatchi when they worked for the couple as domestic assistants.Grillo, with her sister Elisabetta, 41, denies the unauthorised spending of £685,000 on credit cards and taxi accounts supplied by Lawson's ex-husband Charles Saatchi when they worked for the couple as domestic assistants.
Lawson has given evidence that the spending was not authorised, but the sisters insist it was. The chef, 53, has also given evidence that she only took cocaine six times before 2001 and only once since. Lawson has given evidence that the spending was not authorised, but the sisters insist it was. The chef, 53, has also given evidence that she took cocaine six times before 2001 and only once since.
Grillo said she never saw Lawson take drugs, but saw the first evidence of cocaine use when Lawson lived in Shepherd's Bush with her first husband John Diamond, who died in 2001. Grillo said she never saw Lawson take drugs, but saw the first evidence of cocaine use when Lawson lived in Shepherd's Bush with her first husband, John Diamond, who died in 2001.
"I used to go there as a visitor," she said. "Usually there were rolled up bank notes … once in the kitchen after a dinner party and another time it was the guest bedroom." "I used to go there as a visitor," she said. "Usually there were rolled-up banknotes … once in the kitchen after a dinner party and another time it was the guest bedroom."
A few months after she started working at Eaton Square she saw rolled notes in Lawson's handbags, when she had to change over the contents as part of her job or was looking for things when Lawson had mislaid them, which used to happen "very often".A few months after she started working at Eaton Square she saw rolled notes in Lawson's handbags, when she had to change over the contents as part of her job or was looking for things when Lawson had mislaid them, which used to happen "very often".
She said there were rolled notes every time she went through the bags. They would be alongside a tube of English mustard that the court heard Lawson liked to carry everywhere with her.She said there were rolled notes every time she went through the bags. They would be alongside a tube of English mustard that the court heard Lawson liked to carry everywhere with her.
"At the beginning of 2012 there were a few occasions when she came down and she had white powder in her nostril," Grillo said. "A few times I ignored it. One time I said: 'Nigella, you have something in your nose'. She brushed it off and said it was makeup. It was too white to be makeup." "At the beginning of 2012 there were a few occasions when she came down and she had white powder in her nostril," Grillo said. "A few times I ignored it. One time I said: 'Nigella, you have something in your nose.' She brushed it off and said it was makeup. It was too white to be makeup."
Grillo said that in recent years Lawson became "quite moody and grumpy".Grillo said that in recent years Lawson became "quite moody and grumpy".
"When she was writing on her latest book she said she needed to work through the night and I think she needed help to stay up all night," said Grillo. She also told the jury Lawson had a runny nose for a long period which seemed unusual during the summer months."When she was writing on her latest book she said she needed to work through the night and I think she needed help to stay up all night," said Grillo. She also told the jury Lawson had a runny nose for a long period which seemed unusual during the summer months.
She said she saw evidence of cannabis use from around 2010, when the family moved into a new house in Chelsea.She said she saw evidence of cannabis use from around 2010, when the family moved into a new house in Chelsea.
"There were remains sometimes after the dinner parties in the kitchen," she said. "I can't say if it was her or the children.""There were remains sometimes after the dinner parties in the kitchen," she said. "I can't say if it was her or the children."
She found remnants of the drug in Lawson's top floor study, and "in the basement in the children's room". She found remnants of the drug in Lawson's top-floor study, and "in the basement in the children's room".
"I spoke to the children about it," she said. "They said she had a problem sleeping and she would come downstairs, stay with them and smoke with them because it helped her sleep.""I spoke to the children about it," she said. "They said she had a problem sleeping and she would come downstairs, stay with them and smoke with them because it helped her sleep."
Francesca Grillo told the jury they decided to go public with the drugs allegations would "show a pattern where she hid the truth and how she actually behaves". Francesca Grillo told the jury they decided to go public with the drugs allegations because it would "show a pattern where she hid the truth and how she actually behaves".
She said that when photos of Saatchi putting his finger to Lawson's nose were published in June, she thought he was discovering Lawson's cocaine use and as such would not have known either about his ex-wife's authorisation of their spending.She said that when photos of Saatchi putting his finger to Lawson's nose were published in June, she thought he was discovering Lawson's cocaine use and as such would not have known either about his ex-wife's authorisation of their spending.
She said they were originally reluctant to use the drugs claims in their defence.She said they were originally reluctant to use the drugs claims in their defence.
"I still had strong feelings towards the family and Nigella," she said. "It is a difficult subject to bring up when you love someone so we tried to protect her.""I still had strong feelings towards the family and Nigella," she said. "It is a difficult subject to bring up when you love someone so we tried to protect her."
The trial continues.The trial continues.
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