'I adore Nigella now. I absolutely adore Nigella and I'm broken-hearted to have lost her' Charles Saatchi's emotional confession from court in fraud trial of former aides

 

• Mr Saatchi said he does not know whether Nigella actually took drugs
• He wrote to her 'you got the Pass you desired, free to heartily enjoy all the drugs you want, forever. Classy.'
• He is giving evidence against his former PAs who are accused of fraud
• Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo are accused of spending £685,000 on Mr Saatchi's company credit cards over a four-year period
• Sisters claimed Nigella had 'a very severe cocaine habit'
• Mr Saatchi offered Francesca the chance to live rent free in Nigella's home while repaying the money but she said 'I'd rather go to jail than Battersea'
• Millionaire's 10-year marriage to Nigella broke down earlier this year
• Miss Lawson is expected to give evidence next Wednesda

By Rob Cooper
Charles Saatchi told a jury he is 'utterly heartbroken' to have divorced Nigella Lawson who he 'adores'.
The millionaire art dealer said he wished this year had never happened as he gave evidence against his two former personal assistants who are accused of fraud.
The 70-year-old added that he does not know if he believes claims that Miss Lawson, 53, was a habitual cocaine user while married to him.
His former employees Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo are accused of using credit cards loaned to them to spend more than £685,000.
When asked if he had adored Ms Lawson during their marriage, he said: 'I adore Nigella now. I absolutely adore Nigella and I'm broken-hearted to have lost her.'

Evidence: Charles Saatchi arrives at court this morning where he will testify against his two former employees who are accused of credit card fraud

Mr Saatchi told Isleworth Crown Court he has no proof of Miss Lawson's alleged drug-taking.
Responding to defence barrister Anthony Metzer QC, he said: 'Like you, I like proof. I have no proof.'
He later said: 'I have never, never seen any evidence of Nigella taking any drug whatsoever. I want to be helpful, but I genuinely have no real knowledge at all.'

More...

• Nigella first left Saatchi a year before they split: Court hears how she moved into £1.4m home with one of aides now on trial
• Nigella and Saatchi aides blew £1million a year on credit cards: One woman splashed £8,000 on designer clothes in a single day
• Nigella and Saatchi's assistants 'treated worse than Filipino slaves': Jury hears claims by aides accused of £76,000-a-month 'shop till you drop' spree as Charles Saatchi makes brief appearance at court
• Last time he looked like this was throttlegate: Charles Saatchi appears confident and professional as he arrives at court

Mr Saatchi and Miss Lawson separated earlier this year after pictures appeared to show him throttling his wife in Scott's Restaurant in Mayfair, central London, in June.
When asked by Mr Metzer if he became aware of Ms Lawson's alleged drug-taking around the time of the 'Scott's Restaurant incident', he said it was indeed around that time.
Mr Metzer asked if he was 'shocked', to which Mr Saatchi said he was. 'I'm very against drugs,' he added.
Saatchi listened as the email he sent to Miss Lawson on October 10 was read out to jurors. The contents of the message were first read to the court during a pre-trial hearing.

'FREE TO HEARTILY ENJOY ALL THE DRUGS YOU WANT, FOREVER': THE EMAIL SAATCHI SENT TO NIGELLA

'Nigella, I was sent these by a newspaper and I can only laugh at your sorry depravity.
'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.'
The email went on: 'But I'm sure it was all great fun and now everything is perfect - bravo, you have become a celebrity hostess on a global TV game show. And you got the Pass you desired, free to heartily enjoy all the drugs you want, forever. Classy.'

In it he referred to his ex-wife as 'Higella'.
He wrote: 'Nigella, I was sent these by a newspaper and I can only laugh at your sorry depravity.
'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.'
The email went on: 'But I'm sure it was all great fun and now everything is perfect - bravo, you have become a celebrity hostess on a global TV game show. And you got the Pass you desired, free to heartily enjoy all the drugs you want, forever. Classy.'
Questioned about the email by prosecutor Jane Carpenter, Mr Saatchi said: 'I'm utterly bereft that this private email to Nigella has come back to haunt us both. That's all I have to say.
'The stories that the Grillos were parading was that Nigella had a severe cocaine habit that stretched back a very long time for the entirety of our marriage.
'What I was speculating here was that the Grillos would use this as a defence.'

High press interest: Mr Saatchi is helped into Isleworth Crown Court by security this morning where he is expected to be asked about his relationship with Nigella Lawson

It is alleged that the two women lived the 'high life', lavishing the money on designer clothes and handbags from Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood.
Mr Saatchi said it was his ex-wife's idea to give the two woman credit cards as he gave evidence to the jury.
Asked by prosecutor Jane Carpenter who decided that the defendants should have the cards, Mr Saatchi said: 'My ex-wife, Nigella.'
Mr Saatchi told the court the bills were paid by his company - Conarco Partnership - before he reimbursed it from his own personal account.
'I'm pretty certain the company pays off everything and bills me and I pay back the company for anything that's personal,' he said.
The credit card limit was initially just £25,000 but accountant Rahul Gajjar, 44, told the court he increased it incrementally to £100,000 without telling Mr Saatchi.
The jury heard heard that Francesca had phoned the art dealer while abroad and tell him that she had maxed out the card before asking for the then £50,000 limit to be increased.

Court: Charles Saatchi, 70, separated from his wife Nigella Lawson earlier this year after a ten-year marriage

Mr Saatchi said: 'If they were taking the children on holiday they would be paying for everything - the hotel bills, the meals, and they would also be given some money that the children were allowed to spend.'
He said the sisters were originally employed as a nanny by Miss Lawson during her marriage to her late husband, John Diamond.
When Mr Saatchi married the food writer, the Grillos also looked after his own young daughter, Phoebe, who is now 19, but their role changed as the children grew older.
'The children adored them and Nigella was very fond of them and I was very fond of them and we didn't want them to go so they stayed on as housekeepers and general assistants,' Mr Saatchi said.
During the hearing the 70-year-old had to repeatedly be asked to raise his voice for everyone in the packed court room to hear.
He asked if he could sit down to give his evidence and repeatedly apologised for not speaking loudly enough.
Addressing the jury, he said the sisters had wide-ranging duties in the home. He said they were responsible for: 'Housekeeping, shopping, doing the laundry, organising everyone in the household.'
The art dealer recalled a 'peculiar' instance one morning when he received a phonecall from a taxi company asking about a booking to Berkshire, when he was not aware of anyone in his household travelling there.

 

 

 

Court hearing: Charles Saatchi, 70, is seen out with Trinny Woodall last night in west London after he was sent home from court

'I said "are you sure you've got this right?"
'I said "what name is it booked under?" And they said "Grillo",' he told the court.
Saatchi said he asked Lawson if Elisabetta, sometimes referred to in court as Lisa, or Francesca, had been sent to do anything for them.
She said they had not, and he said he thought there was 'something very peculiar here'.
He said he telephoned one of the women, but could not be sure which.
'She said "I'm at a polo match". I said "why did you take a taxi out to the country?" And she said "I didn't" and then she said "I took a taxi to Liverpool Street Station".'
Saatchi said he would not have authorised a journey to Berkshire.

Accused: Italian sisters Elisabetta Grillo (left) and Francesca arrive at Isleworth Crown Court this morning where they are standing trial over an alleged credit card fraud

Earlier Mr Gajjar told the court that Francesca, 35, and Elisabetta, 41, were expected to shop for Mr Saatchi and his then wife.
He said: 'Charles and Nigella didn't generally go shopping like most people do. They would have their personal assistants shop for them.'
Ms Arden said Francesca worked long hours for the celebrity couple, often from 5am or 6am until late at night, and travelled around the world with them and their children.
Mr Gajjar agreed with the barrister that Francesca 'lived and breathed' Mr Saatchi and Miss Lawson.
The millionaire and TV cook Miss Lawson ended their 10-year marriage earlier this year after pictures were published showing him holding the TV chef by the throat.
The jury has heard Francesca, 35, spent the most money on her credit card.
She was estimated to have used it to buy goods for herself worth in excess of £580,000 and in June last year alone ran up a £64,000 bill as she went on luxury holidays and bought designer clothes, it is alleged.
The court was told her sister's total spend was estimated to be around £105,000 and she splurged £58,744 in just 50 transactions at an array of designer shops and spas.
It is alleged that between January 1 2008 and December 31 2012, the Grillos committed fraud by abusing their positions as PAs by using a company credit card for personal gain.
The pair, of Bayswater, west London, deny the charge against them.
Miss Lawson is expected to give evidence in the trial next Wednesday.
The case continues.

'Slavery': Finance director Rahul Gajjar told Isleworth Crown Court yesterday that Elisabetta Grillo, 41, complained that she was being treated worse than Filipino slaves during conversations with her about credit card spending

Divorce: Nigella Lawson separated from her husband Mr Saatchi earlier this year after pictures emerged of him appearing to throttle her

WHAT THE TRIAL HAS HEARD: NIGELLA'S PAS 'SPENT £685,000 ON CARDS'

• Italian sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo spent £685,000 on credit card over a four-year period
• The pair will claim 'exorbiant' spending was allowed in return for keeping quiet about Nigella Lawson's alleged heavy cocaine use, prosecution said
• Francesca, 35, bought £580,000 worth of goods on Mr Saatchi's company card while Elisabetta, 41, spent £105,000
• Prosecution said the pair lived 'the sort of life you may often see portrayed in glossy magazines'
• Finance director Rahul Gajjar confronted the women about their spending in June last year
• Initially the sisters were apologetic about spending £76,000 a month on the cards
• However, after he tried to get them to repay the money they became 'agitated' and Elisabetta complained 'We're being treated worse than Filipino slaves'
• Defence say Mr Saatchi and Miss lawson's other PAs all used credit cards to buy luxury goods for themselves
• The case is expected to last two weeks and Nigella will give evidence next Wednesday
• Both women deny a single charge of fraud

Marriage breakdown: Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson divorced earlier this year after pictures were published which appeared to show Mr Saatchi throttling his wife

Claims: TV cook Nigella Lawson is expected to give evidence to the court next Wednesday against her former employees