A personal assistant accused of defrauding Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi has told a court that she saw evidence of regular drug use by the celebrity cook.
Elisabetta Grillo, 41, said she found various signs that Ms Lawson was using cocaine, including a packet of white powder found in a toilet in the home she shared with late husband, John Diamond, as well as rolled-up banknotes and credit cards with white powder on them.
Asked if she had ever seen the Ms Lawson taking drugs, Grillo said “No”.
But she told Isleworth Crown Court in London that she was aware that Ms Lawson had taken drugs and, when pressed by barrister Anthony Metzer QC about what type of substances, she said both cocaine and cannabis.
Grillo was working for Ms Lawson as an au pair.
Elisabetta, and her sister Francesca, 35, of Kensington Gardens Square, London, each deny a single count of committing fraud by using a company credit card for personal gain between January 1, 2008 and December 31 last year. They are accused of abusing their positions by spending £685,000 on the cards.
Elisabetta said that, when living with Ms Lawson and Mr Diamond, she found a small packet of white powder in the toilet.
She told the court: “I was cleaning the house and I noticed a little packet on top of the loo, toilet.
“I opened it because it was kind of a little funny envelope and I saw white powder.”
On other occasions she said she found rolled-up notes with white powder on them.
Grillo also told the court she found similar evidence when Ms Lawson moved in with Mr Saatchi at his home in Eaton Square. She said that in a drawer in Ms Lawson’s office she found rolled-up banknotes.
Asked by Mr Metzer if there was anything on them, she said: “Yes, again, white stuff.”
The defence barrister asked her how often over the years she had seen signs of drug use, to which she replied: “Regularly.”
Grillo also referred to a box, shaped like a book, in which Ms Lawson has denied stashing drugs.
The celebrity cook last week admitted taking cocaine with Mr Diamond when he found out he had terminal cancer, and on another occasion in July 2010 during her troubled marriage to Mr Saatchi.
But Ms Lawson, who admitted using cannabis in the last year of her marriage to the art gallery owner, said the idea that she was a habitual user of cocaine was “absolutely ridiculous” and accused her ex-husband of “peddling” stories.
Mr Metzer asked Grillo if Ms Lawson’s assertion that she took cocaine with Mr Diamond but never again until 2010 was true. “No”, she replied.
“Because I know I saw more stuff before that.”
Asked how often she saw evidence of cocaine use, she said: “Like, every three days, something like that. Regularly, not only once, for sure.”
The case was adjourned until today.