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Lawson and Saatchi assistants found not guilty of fraud Lawson and Saatchi assistants found not guilty of fraud
(35 minutes later)
Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi's former personal assistants have been found not guilty of fraud at the end of a three-week trial in which the TV cook was forced to admit her use of cocaine and cannabis and her art dealer ex-husband was labelled a menacing bully.Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi's former personal assistants have been found not guilty of fraud at the end of a three-week trial in which the TV cook was forced to admit her use of cocaine and cannabis and her art dealer ex-husband was labelled a menacing bully.
Elisabetta Grillo, 41, and her sister Francesca, 36, were not in the dock to hear the verdicts delivered by the jury of five women and seven men at Isleworth crown court in west London.Elisabetta Grillo, 41, and her sister Francesca, 36, were not in the dock to hear the verdicts delivered by the jury of five women and seven men at Isleworth crown court in west London.
Elisabetta Grillo had been suffering from panic attacks and the judge allowed them to hear the news in an ante-room. They embraced emotionally and Elisabetta wept with relief alongside a friend.Elisabetta Grillo had been suffering from panic attacks and the judge allowed them to hear the news in an ante-room. They embraced emotionally and Elisabetta wept with relief alongside a friend.
"My God, I am just shaking," said Francesca as she embraced her solicitor. "We can go home.""My God, I am just shaking," said Francesca as she embraced her solicitor. "We can go home."
She hugged her barrister, Karina Arden, and her sister's barrister Anthony Metzer QC, saying: "We made it, we made it."She hugged her barrister, Karina Arden, and her sister's barrister Anthony Metzer QC, saying: "We made it, we made it."
The jury took eight hours and 52 minutes to reach their verdict.The jury took eight hours and 52 minutes to reach their verdict.
"We're delighted with the result," said Arden."We're delighted with the result," said Arden.
Following the case, the police said they would not investigate claims that Lawson took cocaine, but would review that decision if new evidence came to light.
The sisters, from Calabria in southern Italy, had been accused of the fraudulent use of household credit card and taxi accounts totalling £685,000 between 2008 and 2012.The sisters, from Calabria in southern Italy, had been accused of the fraudulent use of household credit card and taxi accounts totalling £685,000 between 2008 and 2012.
Francesca was accused of making unauthorised cash withdrawals for personal use over the period of £111,000, and Elisabetta of £38,000.Francesca was accused of making unauthorised cash withdrawals for personal use over the period of £111,000, and Elisabetta of £38,000.
The pair had worked for Lawson and Saatchi since the start of the couple's relationship in 2001 and were sacked over the spending as the marriage was about to crumble. The Grillos, the jury had heard, had become "caught in the collateral crossfire" of a disintegrating relationship and had been "devoured like lambs" in a bitter dispute between the now-divorced couple.The pair had worked for Lawson and Saatchi since the start of the couple's relationship in 2001 and were sacked over the spending as the marriage was about to crumble. The Grillos, the jury had heard, had become "caught in the collateral crossfire" of a disintegrating relationship and had been "devoured like lambs" in a bitter dispute between the now-divorced couple.
In May 2012 – the month before they were confronted over the spending by Saatchi after he discovered Francesca apparently booking a taxi on his account to a polo match in Berkshire – she had spent £48,000 on household Coutts credit cards and Elisabetta had spent £28,000. Lawson had spent £7,000.In May 2012 – the month before they were confronted over the spending by Saatchi after he discovered Francesca apparently booking a taxi on his account to a polo match in Berkshire – she had spent £48,000 on household Coutts credit cards and Elisabetta had spent £28,000. Lawson had spent £7,000.
Francesca was accused of spending up to £8,000 a time on weekend breaks to top hotels, including the George V in Paris and the Cipriani in Venice, and splashing out at boutiques, such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton. She bought a £5,000 pink fur coat from Miu Miu on the household account and claimed it was an authorised gift.Francesca was accused of spending up to £8,000 a time on weekend breaks to top hotels, including the George V in Paris and the Cipriani in Venice, and splashing out at boutiques, such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton. She bought a £5,000 pink fur coat from Miu Miu on the household account and claimed it was an authorised gift.
It can now be reported that David Cameron's "unprecedented" public backing for Nigella Lawson during the fraud trial of her former personal assistants came close to collapsing the case because it was considered "an abuse of process". The prime minister had stunned lawyers when he gave a magazine interview in the middle of the jury trial, where he described the TV chef – the key prosecution witness – as a "very funny and warm person" and said he was "a massive fan".It can now be reported that David Cameron's "unprecedented" public backing for Nigella Lawson during the fraud trial of her former personal assistants came close to collapsing the case because it was considered "an abuse of process". The prime minister had stunned lawyers when he gave a magazine interview in the middle of the jury trial, where he described the TV chef – the key prosecution witness – as a "very funny and warm person" and said he was "a massive fan".
After losing a morning to legal argument over the matter, the judge ruled the case could continue, but told the jury to ignore Cameron's "regrettable" intervention in the Spectator magazine, in which he said he was in "Team Nigella".After losing a morning to legal argument over the matter, the judge ruled the case could continue, but told the jury to ignore Cameron's "regrettable" intervention in the Spectator magazine, in which he said he was in "Team Nigella".
In the immediate aftermath of the verdict, the prime minister was asked if he was pleased and told journalists: "I've probably said enough about this, so I'll take the 5th."
Elisabetta Grillo had collapsed in the dock with a panic attack at the end of the first day of jury deliberation and spent two hours in hospital before discharging herself. She collapsed again on Friday morning in the court reception after she was surrounded by photographers on her arrival. She was said to be suffering from an arrhythmic heart beat and very high blood pressure.Elisabetta Grillo had collapsed in the dock with a panic attack at the end of the first day of jury deliberation and spent two hours in hospital before discharging herself. She collapsed again on Friday morning in the court reception after she was surrounded by photographers on her arrival. She was said to be suffering from an arrhythmic heart beat and very high blood pressure.
The trial saw the Grillos make claims about the extent of Lawson's drug use. The TV cook admitted in the witness box that she had taken cocaine seven times and only once since her first husband, John Diamond, died in 2001. She also said she has smoked cannabis "with or in front of" her children in the last year of her marriage to Saatchi and that it made "an intolerable situation, tolerable". She admitted to getting other people in the household to roll joints for her because she didn't know how.The trial saw the Grillos make claims about the extent of Lawson's drug use. The TV cook admitted in the witness box that she had taken cocaine seven times and only once since her first husband, John Diamond, died in 2001. She also said she has smoked cannabis "with or in front of" her children in the last year of her marriage to Saatchi and that it made "an intolerable situation, tolerable". She admitted to getting other people in the household to roll joints for her because she didn't know how.
But the Grillos said Lawson was a habitual cocaine user and that Lawson allowed them to use the credit cards and accounts on the understanding that they would keep quiet about her drug use.But the Grillos said Lawson was a habitual cocaine user and that Lawson allowed them to use the credit cards and accounts on the understanding that they would keep quiet about her drug use.
When Saatchi heard about the allegations he sent an angry email to Lawson saying: "Of course now the Grillos will get off on the basis that you and Mimi [her daughter] were so off your heads on drugs that you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked."When Saatchi heard about the allegations he sent an angry email to Lawson saying: "Of course now the Grillos will get off on the basis that you and Mimi [her daughter] were so off your heads on drugs that you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked."
There were also claims that Lawson played down her drug use because she feared it may damage her long-held aspiration for a TV career in the US.There were also claims that Lawson played down her drug use because she feared it may damage her long-held aspiration for a TV career in the US.
"And you may think about her breaking into the American market," Karina Arden, representing Francesca, told the jury. "That means she wouldn't want it coming out for that reason, because you all know about the Americans taking a strong line in relation to foreigners with drugs." "And you may think about her breaking into the American market," Arden, representing Francesca, told the jury. "That means she wouldn't want it coming out for that reason, because you all know about the Americans taking a strong line in relation to foreigners with drugs."
After the verdict was delivered Arden called out to Francesca in Italian: "C'e un Dio" – there is a God. Grillo repeated the phrase smiling.
Speaking outside court, the women's solicitor Richard Cannon, partner at Janes Solicitors, said: "My clients are naturally relieved at the verdicts of the jury. This has been a long, hard fight, played out in the gaze of the world's media. 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, he said: "Very well."
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