PAs ‘were treated worse than slaves’

Two personal assistants to Charles Saatchi and his ex-wife Nigella Lawson complained they were “being treated worse than Filipino slaves” when they were confronted over their alleged spending sprees at the couple’s expense.

Rahul Gajjar, finance director for art dealer Mr Saatchi, told jurors at Isleworth Crown Court in west London that Elisabetta Grillo, aged 41, made the claim after he wrote to her and her sister about their alleged use of the couple’s credit cards to buy £685,000 (€820,000) worth of luxury goods for themselves.

Mr Gajjar told jurors that at first Elisabetta, referred to in court as Lisa, and co-defendant Francesca, aged 35, were open and apologetic about their spending spree.