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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Nigella Lawson PA denies being 'shopaholic and fantasist' | Nigella Lawson PA denies being 'shopaholic and fantasist' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A former personal assistant accused of defrauding Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson has denied she is a "shopaholic" and a "fantasist". | A former personal assistant accused of defrauding Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson has denied she is a "shopaholic" and a "fantasist". |
| Francesca Grillo, 35, said she "would have to disagree" with how the TV cook had described her. | Francesca Grillo, 35, said she "would have to disagree" with how the TV cook had described her. |
| She and sister Elisabetta, 41, are alleged to have spent £685,000 on credit cards belonging to the couple. | She and sister Elisabetta, 41, are alleged to have spent £685,000 on credit cards belonging to the couple. |
| Isleworth Crown Court has heard the siblings, who deny the charges, bought designer clothes and luxury holidays. | |
| Prosecutor Jane Carpenter said the younger sister had lied when she said her spending on a work credit card was authorised by Mr Saatchi and Ms Lawson. | Prosecutor Jane Carpenter said the younger sister had lied when she said her spending on a work credit card was authorised by Mr Saatchi and Ms Lawson. |
| "I haven't lied to this court," she said. | "I haven't lied to this court," she said. |
| "I don't think I'm a fantasist as Ms Lawson suggested. I would have to disagree." | "I don't think I'm a fantasist as Ms Lawson suggested. I would have to disagree." |
| Ms Carpenter said the 35-year-old had admitted being a "shopaholic" in a phone call after the allegations of fraud came to light. | Ms Carpenter said the 35-year-old had admitted being a "shopaholic" in a phone call after the allegations of fraud came to light. |
| "I don't think so," Ms Grillo said. | "I don't think so," Ms Grillo said. |
| 'Bolder and greedier' | 'Bolder and greedier' |
| Making her closing statement, Ms Carpenter reminded the jury that it was the sisters facing the charges. | Making her closing statement, Ms Carpenter reminded the jury that it was the sisters facing the charges. |
| "It might have seemed at times that other people were on trial," she told them, adding that she was referring to Mr Saatchi and Ms Lawson. | "It might have seemed at times that other people were on trial," she told them, adding that she was referring to Mr Saatchi and Ms Lawson. |
| She said it was "utter nonsense" that the now divorced couple would authorise the Grillos' alleged level of personal expenditure. | She said it was "utter nonsense" that the now divorced couple would authorise the Grillos' alleged level of personal expenditure. |
| The prosecutor said the sisters were "spending more as time passed [and] as they grew bolder and greedier". | The prosecutor said the sisters were "spending more as time passed [and] as they grew bolder and greedier". |
| Ms Carpenter said it was a feature of the defence that the Grillo sisters were "part of the family [and] were entitled to spend in the same way the family did". | Ms Carpenter said it was a feature of the defence that the Grillo sisters were "part of the family [and] were entitled to spend in the same way the family did". |
| "That, you must appreciate, is utter rubbish and cannot possibly have been the case," she said. | "That, you must appreciate, is utter rubbish and cannot possibly have been the case," she said. |
| Defence counsel Anthony Metzer QC, for Elisabetta, told the jury that his client was "caught in collateral cross-fire" as Mr Saatchi used the trial to attack his ex-wife and Ms Grillo was "a soft underbelly for attacking Ms Lawson". | |
| "Could it be Mr Saatchi was using this as a way to attack Ms Lawson by proxy? | |
| "As his relationship with Ms Lawson started to unravel and he lost control of her, he looked for a place to put his hurt and anger. | |
| "The extravagant way Ms Lawson kept her family in his money was now a legitimate place for him to exert his feelings," the barrister said. | |
| 'No winners' | |
| Mr Metzer added that the TV cook had "carefully honed" her evidence as she was forced to face allegations of "sustained drug use". | |
| And the verdict will "be of significance to Ms Lawson and her public image". | |
| "This is a case with no winners. Not Mr Saatchi, not Ms Lawson and certainly not my client, who is alleged to have breached the trust placed in her by a family she loved and still loves," he added. | |
| The Grillos, of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, each deny a single count of committing fraud by using a company credit card for personal gain between 1 January 2008 and 31 December last year. | The Grillos, of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, each deny a single count of committing fraud by using a company credit card for personal gain between 1 January 2008 and 31 December last year. |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |