'Saatchi said he'd destroy me if I didn't clear his name': Nigella takes the stand to tell court of 'summer of bullying and abuse'

 

• TV chef testifies at fraud trial of her former assistants Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo
• She says her ex-husband Charles Saatchi 'threatened to destroy her'
• Millionaire art dealer told her to 'clear his name' - then he spread allegations about her drug use, court hears
• Allegations were 'false' and 'dedicated to salvaging his reputation and destroying hers'
• Saatchi 'didn't like to take part in family life' and kept wads of cash on fridge
• She confided in Elisabetta that he 'shouted and swore' at her
• She said 'I don't know how much longer I can take this' - but DIDN'T plan to leave him
• Says she has endured 'long summer of bullying and abuse' since divorce
• Describes Elisabetta as a 'rock' who became bitter about her life
• She admits she had no idea what the credit limit on the sisters' cards was
• Says she was 'flabbergasted' at discovering they had spent £685,000
• Saatchi didn't want to give sisters Christmas off but Nigella talked him into it

By Rob Cooper
Nigella Lawson's ex-husband Charles Saatchi threatened to 'destroy' her with false drug taking allegations, the TV chef told the court today.
She accused the millionaire art dealer of telling her she must 'clear his name' by giving evidence at the trial of their two former personal assistants.
Taking to the witness stand, Miss Lawson, 53, accused Mr Saatchi of inflicting 'a long summer of bullying and abuse' on her after their high-profile divorce.
The couple split after photos emerged which appeared to show him throttling her outside Scott's restaurant in Mayfair, central London.
Lifting the lid on domestic life, Miss Lawson told the jury at Isleworth Crown Court that Mr Saatchi shouted and swore at her - and added that no one 'can be in any doubt' he has a temper.

Determined: Nigella Lawson, seen arriving at court this morning, cut a severe figure as she arrived at court this morning

Testimony: Nigella Lawson, dressed all in black apart from a white collar, is seen in court addressing the jury in this court illustration. The Grillo sisters, who are standing trial charged with fraud, can be seen front left

Testimony: Nigella Lawson told the jury that 'no one can be in any doubt' her ex-husband Charles Saatchi has a temper

Evidence: Followed by seven police officers, Miss Lawson faced a wall of press photographers when she arrived at court this morning to give evidence

She is giving evidence against her former aides Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo who allegedly went on lavish spending sprees with Mr Saatchi's company credit cards.
The sisters are alleged to have spent £685,000 a month on the cards - but Miss Lawson said she had 'no idea' what the limits on the cards were.
She told the jury that on one occasion she confided in Elisabetta - referred to in court as Lisa - that Mr Saatchi had been 'shouting and swearing' at her.

More...

• 'It's turned into the Nigella Lawson trial': Friends speak out as TV cook prepares for the fight of her life
• Nigella's courtroom makeover: TV chef goes for sober black outfit and severe make-up as she takes the stand today

The court has heard that the Domestic Goddess was dubbed 'Higella' and labelled a drug abuser in an email sent by her ex-husband before the trial.
But today, Miss Lawson denied allegations she had taken cocaine and prescription drugs.
Dressed entirely in black apart from a white collar on her shirt, she said that her ex-husband had threatened to 'destroy' her.

AS SHE TOLD THE COURT: NIGELLA IN HER OWN WORDS

On Charles Saatchi: ‘I don’t think that anyone can be in any doubt he had a temper’
On her ‘unfortunate’ split from Charles Saatchi: ‘I wouldn't say unfortunate’
On the ‘choking’ pictures of her and Saatchi: ‘That awful incident at Scott’s’
On the allegations about her drug use: ‘False… dedicated to salvaging Mr Saatchi’s reputation and destroying mine’
On her aide Elisabetta: ‘She was a rock… but I believe her not to have a very strong moral compass’
On her aide Francesca: ‘A fantasist’
On her supporters: ‘They call themselves Team Cupcake’
On vanity: ‘I often do not look presentable. I don’t really mind about appearances’
On discovering Lisa and Francesca’s spending: ‘I was flabbergasted’
On moving in with Mr Saatchi around the time of their wedding, she told the barrister: 'I think it was quite a bit before then. Sorry to shock you.'
On her upbringing being described as ‘liberal and bohemian’: 'I fear my father (Nigel Lawson) might take exception to that.’
On Saatchi’s love of cash: 'Charles kept a huge stash above the fridge. He didn't like to use credit cards.'

'He (Saatchi) had said to me that if I didn't go back to him and clear his name he would destroy me,' she told the jury.
'And so he started spreading allegations of drug use, particularly that awful incident at Scott's.
'And I felt that his way of getting these out was to use this case. And in September a new defence statement came out with some of the drug allegations which Mr Saatchi had mentioned to me in August.
'I said "What drug allegations?" I said: "There aren't going to be any".
'These allegations appeared in a PR blog that he had been dedicated to salvaging Mr Saatchi's reputation and savaging mine.
'They had been circulated on the internet, witness statement that would go to court and sent to every media outlet.
'I felt that this would not become a fraud case and I would be put on trial, and that is what has happened.
'I have been put on trial here in front of the world and forced to answer, and I'm happy to answer the allegations, in front of the world's press.
'And it comes after a long summer of bullying and abuse and I found it just another chapter in that chapter.'
Mr Saatchi told the jury last Friday that he was 'heart-broken' following his divorce from Nigella and added that he still 'adores' his ex-wife.
Miss Lawson said she considered withdrawing her statement and not giving evidence in the case because she feared she would be put on trial.
Asked why she decided to take to the witness stand, Nigella said she felt it was her 'civic duty'.
At one point when defence barrister Anthony Metzer QC described her split with Mr Saatchi as 'unfortunate', Nigella interrupted and said 'I wouldn't say unfortunate', and only stopped when the judge warned her to stop talking.
When Mr Metzer asked if she moved into Mr Saatchi's house after, or around the time of, their wedding, Miss Lawson said: 'I think it was quite a bit before then. Sorry to shock you.'
And asked if she would agree that she shared a liberal and bohemian background with her late husband Mr Diamond, she said: 'I fear my father might take exception to that.
She had to correct Mr Metzer for saying her team call themselves Team Nigella.
'No, they call themselves Team Cupcake,' she said.

'Choking': Nigella Lawson separated from Charles Saatchi after this picture was published which appeared to show him choking her outside Scott's restaurant in Mayfair, central London

World's media: Nigella Lawson arrives at court followed by seven policeman with dozens of camera lenses trained on her

The chef, who was flanked by seven police officers when she arrived at court, also told the jury that her ex-husband had a 'temper'.
'Yes, he did have a temper and I don't think that anyone can be in any doubt he had a temper,' she said.
Mr Metzer asked if Mr Saatchi was patriarchal and traditional, and Miss Lawson said he 'didn't like to take part in family life'.
Mr Metzer asked whether Miss Lawson 'confided' in Lisa about Mr Saatchi's temper.
'Yes,' she replied.
The barrister then asked whether Miss Lawson discussed with Lisa that she was contemplating leaving her then husband.
'It wasn't so much a discussion,' she said. 'I may have said I didn't know how much longer I could take this.'

Marriage split: Miss Lawson said following the 'awful incident at Scott's (restaurant)', false allegations of drug use began circulating on a 'PR blog'

Mr Metzer said: 'You confided in Lisa that Mr Saatchi had been shouting and swearing at you.'
Miss Lawson replied: 'I think she may have even heard some of it, yes.'
Mr Metzer asked Miss Lawson whether Lisa confided in her that Mr Saatchi had shouted and sworn at her too.
'He did sometimes lose his temper. I'm not sure he did so at her,' she replied.
'I have to say it was not beyond impossible to imagine. But I don't remember any such confidence.
'I remember her saying he's very much like my father.'
She told the court Mr Saatchi wanted at least one of the sisters to be working, but the pair were both given time off over the Christmas period.
'I did explain to him that it was Christmas,' Miss Lawson said.

Nigella felt 'betrayed' by former aide she 'loved and trusted' who is standing trial for credit card fraud

Nigella Lawson said that she 'loved and trusted' her aide Elisabetta Grillo and felt 'betrayed' when her alleged credit card fraud came to light.
Elisabetta - referred to in court as Lisa - and her sister Francesca allegedly lavished £685,000 on Charles Saatchi's company credit card.
The pair lived the 'high life', spending the money on designer clothes and handbags from Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood.
Miss Lawson told the jury she does not believe the Italian, who had worked for her for more than a decade, is a 'bad person'.

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

Prosecution: Nigella Lawson, 53, is giving evidence against Italian sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo who worked as her personal assistants. The cook described Elisabetta as her 'rock' - but she became 'bitter' towards the end of her employment

Testimony: The TV cook referred to her ex-husband always as Mr Saatchi as she gave evidence to the jury

She said: 'It's very difficult when you find out that someone you have loved and trusted could behave that way.
'In my heart of hearts I do not believe Lisa to be a bad person. I believe her not to have a very strong moral compass.'
Miss Lawson, who referred to her multimillionaire ex-husband as Mr Saatchi when giving evidence, added that she was 'flabbergasted at the extent' of the alleged fraud.
She said that while Lisa was very close to the family, she became unhappy in 2004 and briefly left her job.
On her return she was allegedly rude and when Nigella challenged her, said: 'She said I don't care, it is just a job, I'm doing it for the money.
She added: 'Lisa had been a stalwart and had helped me through a very difficult time when my first husband died.
'I loved Lisa. My children loved Lisa. She came to me at a very difficult time in my life.
'She was a rock. I would have done anything for her.'
Miss Lawson told the jury she once took £7,000 out of her savings to pay for Lisa to have her teeth fixed, giving her 'incredible confidence'.
Miss Lawson said Lisa had been a 'rock' when John Diamond was terminally ill with cancer.
'Sometimes I had to rush to hospital, she would stand in,' she told the court.
'She was my rock. I will never forget what she did for my family.'
Miss Lawson told the court that Lisa had become 'like a member of the family' while living with her but became 'bitter' later on.
'She was not at all hardworking towards the end,' she said.
'Most of the time she was on Facebook.

'Broken-hearted': Charles Saatchi, pictured here leaving a restaurant, told the jury on Friday that he still 'adores' Nigella Lawson and wishes this year never happened after the breakdown of their marriage

'Heartbroken': Charles Saatchi arrives at court last week to give evidence to the trial. He said he had 'no evidence' that Nigella took drugs

'I do not think her bitterness was towards me personally. I think it was towards her life.'
Miss Lawson told the court she believed the amount allegedly claimed by the defendants was 'a lot higher'.
'I was very, very careful not to say something was unauthorised if there was even a flicker of doubt,' she said.
And she branded her sister Francesca, a 'fantasist'.
She said: 'Francesca was entirely different, she was, I felt, a fantasist. She would tell the children she was an international lawyer. She would make strange claims and was slightly detached.
'Because I didn't love Francesca in the same way her betrayal didn't affect me in the same way, but I was left flabbergasted.
'There was a strange sense of entitlement that crept up on her.'
The court heard that Lisa Grillo wanted to move out of the family home, and Mr Metzer put to Miss Lawson: 'The reason she wanted to live in private accommodation is because she said she didn't want to live with Mr Saatchi ever again?'
Miss Lawson replied: 'Yes.'

'I'm very trusting' says Nigella who reveals Saatchi kept wads of cash in a ziplock bag on top of the fridge

Nigella Lawson told the jury that she trusts 'everyone implicitly' - while her husband kept wads of cash in a ziplock bag because he didn't like credit cards.
Sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo allegedly spent £76,000 per month on cards issued by Charles Saatchi.
But Miss Lawson said she had 'absolutely' no idea what the limits on the cards were.
The TV chef told the jury that she was 'incredibly close' to her whole team of personal assistants.
'I tend to trust everyone implicitly and often that's not rewarded,' she said.

Media scrum: A crowd of photographers and cameramen outside Isleworth Crown Court this morning awaiting the arrival of Nigella Lawson

Adding: 'I'm still trusting actually. I refuse to become a bitter, untrusting person.'
Asked about how money worked in the household, she said that the cards given to the Grillo sisters were issued through Charles Saatchi's company and, because he did not like to use cards himself, a large 'stash of cash' was kept in a plastic Ziplock bag on the fridge.
When Mr Metzer asked Miss Lawson if she had authorised the sisters to withdraw cash on the cards, she said 'no'. 
The 53-year-old mother said she would occasionally buy gifts for Lisa.
Miss Lawson added: 'She might say, 'Look at these shoes in Vogue', and I would say, 'You know, darling, let me buy you those shoes'.'
But she said it would be a particular gift.
She denied Mr Metzer's claim that she would use credit cards belonging to Mr Saatchi to pay for exercise classes, manicures and pedicures.
'I paid for them sometimes by cash and sometimes by cheque,' she said. 'Personal trainers don't take credit cards.'
Mr Metzer asked Miss Lawson: 'Do you have it in for Lisa now?'
She replied: 'No, I so don't.'
Questioned by Mr Metzer about her other personal assistants' credit card statements showing expenditure at Annabel's in central London, Miss Lawson said it referred not to the nightclub but to Annabel's wine cellar 'for Mr Saatchi's wine'.
Mr Metzer mentioned sums including £1,368, and a separate sum of £1,300 which he said was spent in five days at the establishment.
Mr Saatchi likes to drink wine and he likes to drink expensive wine,' she said.

Divorce: Nigella Lawson divorced her husband Charles Saatchi earlier this year after she was photographed apparently being throttled by the millionaire art editor

Questioned by Mr Metzer about payments made on a Vodafone account and a private medical payment made by another assistant, Miss Lawson said she did not realise the other witnesses in the trial were 'under suspicion'.
The court heard that a sum of £7,916.10 was spent in Shoreditch House, which Miss Lawson said she presumed was her birthday party.
Mr Metzer said thousands of pounds were spent in Shoreditch House on a separate occasion, which
Miss Lawson said she believed was another family birthday party.
Miss Lawson was questioned about money spent at upmarket clothing store Joseph of London on dresses bought for her by Mr Saatchi.
'Mr Saatchi very generously said 'I want you to have lots of them',' she said, adding that he 'wanted to buy up every single one of those dresses'.
The court has heard that Miss Lawson and Mr Saatchi paid Francesca £28,000 a year while Lisa earned £25,000.
Yet Francesca's spending between 2008 and June last year totalled over £580,000, with her older sister Lisa's spree during the same timeframe hitting an estimated £105,000.
On average Francesca's monthly outgoings on the credit cards were £48,000 while Lisa's were £28,000.
It is alleged that between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012, the Grillo sisters abused their positions by using a credit card for personal gain.
The pair, of Bayswater, west London, both deny the charge against them.
The case continues.