Nigella Lawson Called 'Habitual Criminal'

TV cook Nigella Lawson has been described in court as a "habitual criminal" a day after her ex-husband Charles Saatchi accused her of taking drugs.

The latest claim was made as lawyers argued over whether the trial should go ahead of two of their former employees charged with fraud.

Francesca Grillo, 35, and Elisabetta Grillo, 41, are accused of using a company credit card to buy goods and services for themselves worth some £300,000 while working as their personal assistants.

The Grillo sisters deny the charges and claim Ms Lawson was aware of this expenditure all along.

Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo

But the defendants' lawyers argued the case should not go ahead due to the "manipulation of the court process" by Ms Lawson and Mr Saatchi, who had a high-profile divorce earlier this year.

Isleworth Crown Court earlier heard Mr Saatchi allege Ms Lawson was so high on drugs she was unaware what she had permitted the Italian sisters to spend money on.

Anthony Metzer QC, for Elisabetta Grillo, argued the case should be dropped as the women would not be able to receive a fair trial as Ms Lawson and Mr Saatchi were at "loggerheads" and the alleged drug use damaged the celebrity cook's "credibility as an honest witness".

He said if the trial did go ahead "It's a convenient forum for Mr Saatchi and Ms Lawson to rehearse disputed issues between them ... in the criminal courts where, of course, the possibility of libel is not possible".

Mr Saatchi alleged Ms Lawson had a cocaine habit

Referring to allegations of drug use by Ms Lawson, Mr Metzer said: "If Mr Saatchi is telling the truth, then Ms Lawson is a habitual criminal."

He added: "The defendants' case is that Nigella Lawson lied to her ex-husband about her drug use and about the expenditure that was incurred by the defendants, both expressly and implicitly, because she was fearful of Mr Saatchi's reaction if he knew about the extent of the expenditure and drug use.

"There was a culture of secrecy within Nigella Lawson's marriage."

Prosecutor Jane Carpenter, who argued against dropping the case, said: "The suggestion that these defendants are sacrificial lambs in order to discredit Ms Lawson I do not accept at all."

After hearing submissions, Judge Robin Johnson ruled the trial should go ahead.

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