The television chef Nigella Lawson is accused of lying under oath and allowing her children to smoke cannabis, in another day of dramatic testimony.
Nigella Lawson allowed her children to smoke cannabis, the television cook’s former personal assistant has told a court.
Elisabetta Grillo also accused the celebrity cook of lying under oath as she gave evidence in her fraud trial. Ms Grillo, 41, and her sister, Francesca, 35, are accused of defrauding the Lawson and Saatchi household over a four-year period through the unauthorised use of credit cards and household accounts.
The pair claim that Ms Lawson allowed them to spend as they wished in exchange for them keeping her use of cocaine, class B drugs and prescription medication secret from her husband Charles Saatchi.
The prosecution claim that the credit cards issued to the sisters were not meant for personal expenditure, and should not have been used as such without authorisation.
At the beginning of her second day of evidence, Elisabetta Grillo was asked by Jane Carpenter, prosecuting: “Is it your evidence that Ms Lawson has lied to the court?”
To which she replied: “Yes.”
“And Mr Saatchi?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re the one telling the truth?”
“I am.”
“And the other PAs, have they lied as well?”
“Yes.”
Elisabetta was also asked by prosecutor Ms Carpenter to explain a duty-free transaction for £69.71 in New York in June 2010.
“It was cigarettes for the children. I bought them and Nigella allowed me to buy them,” Grillo said. “I don’t remember how many packs. Nigella always told me to buy it.”
Asked by Ms Carpenter: “What on earth did you think you were doing, buying cigarettes for underage children?”
Grillo said: “Well, if Nigella Lawson let the children smoke weed…”
The defendant tailed off as Judge Robin Johnson interrupted the exchange.
During the trial Ms Carpenter also asked her about her wardrobe of designer clothes, which Miss Grillo said included five dresses from boutique supplier Sandro, five dresses from Marc Jacobs, five designer handbags, shoes by Chanel and coats by Burberry.
She said: “It’s normal, like every woman have. Women like clothes and shoes and bags.”
She said she never spent money on the corporate credit card that was not authorised by Miss Lawson.
The case continues.