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Home / Lifestyle

Nigella Lawson's personal assistants acquitted

BANG! Showbiz
20 Dec, 2013 06:39 PM2 mins to read

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Nigella Lawson. Photo / AP

Nigella Lawson. Photo / AP

The disgraced chef's former aides, sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo, have been found not guilty of defrauding the TV star and her ex-husband Charles Saatchi out of £685,000.

The three-week trial concluded and it was ruled the sisters - who bought thousands of pounds worth of designer goods using one of Saatchi's credit cards - had not acted unlawfully since the spending had been authorised.

The verdict will come as a blow to Nigella since the Italian aides claimed in court that she snorted cocaine every three days and smoked cannabis freely in front of her children.

However, Scotland Yard said it will not investigate the allegations against the curvaceous cook unless new evidence comes to light, the MailOnline is reporting.

Neither of the Grillos were present when the verdict was read since Elisabetta, 41, was taken ill after collapsing in court. Anthony Metzer QC, who was representing Elisabetta, said she was "relieved" and "crying her eyes out", while Francesca, 35, was seen outside the courtroom celebrating.

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During the trial, Nigella admitted she had turned to cocaine in 2010 after being subjected to "intimate terrorism" by her then-husband Charles Saatchi - who she divorced this summer after pictures emerged of the millionaire with his hands around her neck in a London restaurant - but has denied claims she was a regular drug-user.

Under cross examination, Nigella, 53, also admitted to using the drug with her late first husband John Diamond on six occasions in the wake of his diagnosis with terminal throat cancer in 1997.

-BANG! Showbiz

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Discover more

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Chefs' messy public eruptions

10 Dec 02:30 AM
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Cameron chided over Nigella

12 Dec 11:55 PM
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Assistant: Lawson on coke every three days

13 Dec 07:48 PM
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'I saw Nigella with powder on her nose'

17 Dec 05:18 PM
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