- NEW: Police say they have no plans at this stage to investigate claims of drug use
- Nigella Lawson slams drug claims, says she’s victim of a campaign to ruin her reputation
- Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo are cleared of defrauding Lawson and her ex-husband
- Grillos’ lawyer: “This has been a long, hard fight played out in the gaze of the world’s media”
London (CNN) — Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson spoke out angrily Friday against what she said were false claims of habitual drug use made against her in the trial of two former personal assistants.
Sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo were each cleared of fraud Friday by the jury in the London court that heard the case.
Francesca Grillo had been accused of defrauding Lawson and her ex-husband Charles Saatchi of 580,000 pounds ($ 950,000), and Elisabetta Grillo of defrauding them of 105,000 pounds ($ 172,000). Both had denied the charges.
The case has gripped UK media, thanks to revelations of drug use by Lawson and insights into her troubled marriage to Saatchi, a millionaire art collector. The couple divorced this year.
Lawson, who was a prosecution witness, said she was “disappointed but unsurprised” by the verdict, and she slammed what she said was a sustained campaign to ruin her reputation.
“Over the three week trial the jury was faced with a ridiculous sideshow of false allegations about drug use which made focus on the actual criminal trial impossible,” she said in a prepared statement.
“My experience as a witness was deeply disturbing. When false claims about habitual drug use were introduced I did everything possible to ensure the (Crown Prosecution Service) was aware of the sustained background campaign deliberately designed to destroy my reputation.”
‘Maliciously vilified’
Lawson called for reform to the judicial system to allow witnesses to rebut false claims against them.
“I did my civic duty, only to be maliciously vilified without the right to respond,” she said.
“Even more harrowing was seeing my children subjected to extreme allegations in court without any real protection or representation. For this I cannot forgive the court process.”
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