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Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi PAs cleared of fraud Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi PAs cleared of fraud
(about 1 hour later)
Two sisters who worked as personal assistants for Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi have been cleared of defrauding the couple. Nigella Lawson has said she is "disappointed but unsurprised" that two sisters who worked as her personal assistants have been cleared of fraud.
Francesca Grillo, 35, and her sister Elisabetta, 41, had denied spending £685,000 on credit cards belonging to the TV cook and her ex-husband. The trial of Francesca Grillo, 35, and sister Elisabetta, 41, heard they spent £685,000 on credit cards owned by the TV cook and ex-husband Charles Saatchi.
They claimed Ms Lawson authorised them to spend the money as she wanted to hide her cocaine use. They claimed the TV cook allowed their spending to cover up her cocaine use.
Scotland Yard said it would not investigate the drug-taking allegation. Ms Lawson, 53, said her experience as a witness was "deeply disturbing" and she had been "maliciously vilified".
But detectives will review the decision if new evidence comes to light, a spokesperson added. 'Cannot forgive'
Solicitor Richard Cannon said the sisters were "naturally relieved" by the verdict, following a "long, hard fight played out in the gaze of the world's media". Following the verdict, Ms Lawson said: "Over the three-week trial the jury was faced with a ridiculous sideshow of false allegations about drug use which made focus on the actual criminal trial impossible.
The trial at Isleworth Crown Court heard the sisters used credit cards loaned to them by the couple to buy designer goods from Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood. "When false claims about habitual drug use were introduced I did everything possible to ensure the CPS was aware of the sustained background campaign deliberately designed to destroy my reputation."
She added: "Even more harrowing was seeing my children subjected to extreme allegations in court without any real protection or representation. For this I cannot forgive the court process."
Her ex-husband, the 70-year-old businessman and art dealer Mr Saatchi has yet to comment about the case.
During the trial, the jury was read extracts of an email he sent to his ex-wife in which he called her "Higella", in reference to drug use.
In the email he also wrote: "Of course now the Grillos will get off on the basis that you... were so off your heads on drugs that you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked and, yes, I believe every word the Grillos have said, who after all only stole money."
Giving evidence later in the trial, Mr Saatchi claimed it was a "terrible, terrible mistake" that the correspondence had become public.
Midway though the trial, Judge Robin Johnson warned the jury to ignore comments made in support of Ms Lawson in an interview given by Prime Minister David Cameron to the Spectator magazine.
Following Friday's not guilty verdicts, solicitor Richard Cannon said the Grillo sisters were "naturally relieved" by the verdict, following a "long, hard fight played out in the gaze of the world's media".
The trial at Isleworth Crown Court heard the sisters fraudulently used credit cards loaned to them by the couple, splashing out on designer goods from Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood.
'No drug problem''No drug problem'
Francesca was accused of spending the largest amount on herself with a sum of £580,000. Francesca Grillo was accused of spending £580,000 on herself.
But the sisters insisted all of their purchases had been authorised. But she and her sister insisted all of their purchases had been authorised.
The pair claimed Ms Lawson consented to their spending as they were "intimately connected to her private life and were aware of the drug use which she wanted to keep from her then-husband Charles Saatchi". The Grillos claimed Ms Lawson consented to their spending as they were "intimately connected to her private life and were aware of the drug use which she wanted to keep from her then-husband Charles Saatchi".
Giving evidence, Ms Lawson admitted taking cocaine a handful of times with her late husband John Diamond and once during her marriage to Mr Saatchi.Giving evidence, Ms Lawson admitted taking cocaine a handful of times with her late husband John Diamond and once during her marriage to Mr Saatchi.
She denied being an addict or having a drug problem. The television cook said she was "not proud" but would rather be "honest and ashamed" about what she had done. However, she denied being an addict or having a drug problem. The television cook said she was "not proud" but would rather be "honest and ashamed" about what she had done than lie about it.
Elisabetta, who was rushed to hospital on Thursday night after a panic attack, was with her sister in another room in the court as the verdicts were read out. She had collapsed again earlier as she arrived at the building. Elisabetta Grillo, who was rushed to hospital on Thursday night after a panic attack, was with her sister in another room in the court as the verdicts were read out. She had collapsed again earlier as she arrived at the building.
After hearing the verdicts, Francesca declared in Italian "There is a God." After hearing the verdicts, Francesca Grillo declared in Italian "There is a God."
Her barrister, Ms Arden, was seen in the court foyer, proclaiming to her client: "C'e un Dio." She replied "c'e un Dio" and the pair embraced. Her barrister, Karina Arden, was seen in the court foyer, proclaiming to her client: "C'e un Dio." She replied "c'e un Dio" and the pair embraced.
Speaking outside court, the sisters' solicitor Mr Cannon said: "Elisabetta and Francesca would like to thank their friends and relatives for their love and support. Speaking outside court, Mr Cannon said: "Elisabetta and Francesca would like to thank their friends and relatives for their love and support."
"Additionally they would like to thank those members of the public who have expressed their best wishes.
"Finally they have asked me to thank their legal team for their hard work."
Asked how Elisabetta was after her collapse this morning, he said: "Very well".
Anthony Metzer QC, representing Elisabetta, said his client was "relieved" and "crying her eyes out".Anthony Metzer QC, representing Elisabetta, said his client was "relieved" and "crying her eyes out".
He said it had been a "stressful case" and said the "medical issues" in relation to Elisabetta made it even harder. The Grillos, of Bayswater, west London, each denied a single count of committing fraud by using a company credit card for personal gain between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012.
Addressing claims that Ms Lawson took cocaine, a Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Allegations that one of the (alleged) victims was involved in taking class A drugs have been made during the course of this trial.
"At this stage the Metropolitan Police will not be investigating these allegations.
"Should any evidence, and that includes material from the trial, that could be investigated come to light this decision will be reviewed."
The Grillos, of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, each denied a single count of committing fraud by using a company credit card for personal gain between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012.
After the three-week trial, the jury of seven men and five women rejected the prosecution's claims that the purchases on the cards had been unauthorised.After the three-week trial, the jury of seven men and five women rejected the prosecution's claims that the purchases on the cards had been unauthorised.
Scotland Yard said it would not be investigating the drug-taking allegations made during the trial, although it said this could change if new evidence came to light.