Nigella Lawson accused of being 'off her head on drugs' in trial

Charles Saatchi accuses his ex of being “off her head on drugs” after allowing two assistants to spend £300,000 on his credit card.

10:41 27 November 2013

TV chef and presenter Nigella Lawson has been accused of her millionaire art dealer ex-husband, Charles Saatchi of being “off her head on drugs” for allowing two of her assistants to spend £300,000 on a credit card that belongs to him.

Sibling assistants Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo allegedly spent the money on designer clothes, first-class plane tickets, and other luxuries. The sisters were arrested in August after Saatchi discovered the purchases.

However, the Italian duo claims that they have a “tacit understading” with Nigella, which is dubbed ‘Higella’ by her ex, and that they were allowed to spend the money as long as they do not tell Saatchi that she’s using cannabis, cocaine, and prescription drugs.

This revelation was made during a pre-trial over the alleged fraud. The judge, who previously said that the sisters could not use Lawson’s alleged drug use as defence, has now ruled that her bad character could in fact be used as evidence.

Judge Robin Johnson read out an email sent on October 10 where Saatchi said: “Of course now the Grillo sisters will get off on the basis that you, (your daughter) Mimi (and another) were so off your heads on drugs that you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked.”