Could Nigella Lawson be a drug addict?

Two Italian sisters who have been working for Nigella Lawson for years, have turned on their employer to try and save their own skins. They've accused her of having a serious drug habit which started many years ago, a shock accusation yet to be proved.

Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo must have decided if they were going down for theft, they would take Nigella and her career with them. Not much loyalty there, which is strange because Elisabetta began working for Nigella as a nanny fourteen years ago and Francesca started out as a 'housemate.'

They are accused of using Charles Saatchi's company credit card to fund their extravagant lifestyle, clocking up $1.2 million over 4 years and according to them, they had every right to do it.

The news comes as a complete shock because Nigela Lawson doesn't fit the profile of a drug addict - she's beautiful, wholesome, a devoted mother and a fabulous cook, envied and admired by women everywhere. But it gets worse - the accusations by the Italian sisters don't just involve Nigella, they say her daughter has a drug habit too.

Chales Saatchi told the court yesterday he had never seen his wife take drugs so he had no proof, but he did admit to sending her an email that said she was "off her head."  He said he was very fond of the Grillo sisters but feared they would use their allegations that Nigella took drugs as a defence in their trial.

In that email he refers to his wife as "Higella" at one point.  "I can only laugh at your sorry depravity" the email read.  "Of course now the Grillos will get off on the basis that you ...... were so off your head on drugs that you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked and yes, I believe every word the Grillos have said, who afterall, only stole money."

When the theft was discovered, the sisters got off lightly and it's hard to understand why they decided to look a gift horse in the mouth. They weren't sacked but allowed to continue on their current salaries and repay the money in monthly installments. They could also live rent-free in a flat owned by Nigella in central London.  Yet the sisters weren't happy and said it tied them to the company for the rest of their lives.

Did the sisters feel confident their employers would never take them to court because the drug addiction accusation would be out in the open? Unfortunately for them, Charles Saatchi had other ideas. He would have known it would ruin Nigela's reputation and her career.

Anthony Metzer QC, defending Elisabetta, said it was common practice for PA's to spend money on luxury items for themselves, paid for by their employer.

Nigella's other PAs - Anzelle Wasserman, Zoe Wales and Alice Binks all used their employers' credit cards to buy personal items and they were allowed to run up bills at Annabell's, a private club popular with the royal family, and spend weekends at Babington House, a boutique hotel in Somerset.  These employees weren't asked to repay any money and there's a good reason why.

Francesca racked up an average of 48,000 pounds a month, Elisabetta 28,000 a month and the other PA's a maximum of 8,000 pounds per month.  

Elisabetta (left) and Francesca Grillo

Nigella is expected to give evidence at a later date but doesn't seem too phased by the fallout. Yesterday she tweeted a recipe for Butternut Squash with pecans and blue cheese.

The trial continues.

Simon Gittany's girlfriend

Rachelle Louise in a clip from a music video in 2011

It didn't take long for Simon Gittany to replace Lisa Harnum with another beautiful woman.  It wasn't a good look and gave the impression he recovered from his fiance's death rather quickly. What isn't clear is why his new girlfriend, who uses the stage name Rachelle-Louise, and her mother, never doubted his innocence.

Her real name is Rachelle Louise Welcome.  She's a model, an aspiring actress and hopes to write a book about her love affair with Gittany. Yesterday her mother said her daughter is a strong, smart woman, in love with an "innocent man" and she had no concerns about her safety while she was with him.  "He's a kind and considerate man" she said.

Did they not hear Lisa's mother tell the court how in her final days, Gittany forced her to kneel before him and "submit" to him?

Rachael Louise grew up in Sydney and worked for the Commonwealth Bank before heading overseas.  She worked for a while at the Spearmint Rhino gentleman's club in Vegas and as a masseuse in London.

You would expect Rachael's mother to be thankful  her daughter has had a narrow escape.  Now that Gittany is in prison, she's been spared a dangerous future with a controlling, violent man.  "I'm not relieved he's gone to jail, I feel desolate, I feel empty, I woke up this morning and felt physically ill" she said.

Someone suggested to Mrs Welcome that her daughter being filmed with Gittany coming to and from court was a stunt.  "Why would we all be upset and losing sleep and putting ourselves through this if it were all an act?" she said.

So there we have it, even with all the evidence against him, Simon Gittany still has the power to convince two women he's innocent.

Yesterday, Lisa Harnum's mother and her brother Jason took the first plane back to Canada, their shocking ordeal finally over.  They arrived at Sydney airport with detectives who worked on the case and gave each one an emotional hug goodbye.

Mrs Harnum was wearing a white ribbon, symbol of the campaign to stop violence against women.

Krystal Muhieddine 14, missing

Krystal Muhieddine is missing.  Police think she met a mystery man online and ran away with him.  And if this mystery man/boy has an ounce of common sense, he will send her home today. 

Mrs Muhieddine last saw her daughter on Tuesday morning at 5.30am, sitting in the passenger seat of a silver hatchback with red P-plates as it sped off from outside their house in Mount Street, Hunters Hill. "Someone was waiting for her" she said.  Krystal's mobile has been switched off ever since.

Parents 

Because Krystal is only 14 and has never dated or had a boyfriend, she is naive and extremely vulnerable. She is described as being of Mediterranian/Middle Eastern appearance, tall, almost 6ft, thin build, shoulder length brown curly hair and black-framed reading glasses.

Last Friday night, her parents found out she had lied to her sisters. She told them she had permission to go to the movies to see The Hunger Games with a school friend, but she didn't.  We can only guess what took place that night, but it's likely there was a huge row.

Her mother said she "reprimanded" her daughter and confiscated her phone, which is enough in itself to send most teenagers into a total meltdown.  Mrs Muhieddine said she and her husband didn't allow social media in the house but thinks Krystal was using the Smartphone messaging app Kik.

There's a lot going on in Krystal's life.  Her mother said she was picked on and bullied at her old school and has just started at a new one.  "She just didn't fit in with the clique there" she said. Seven weeks ago, when she started at Santa Sabina College at Strathfield, her parents were under the impression she was much happier.

Detective Inspector Richard Puffett said police were exhausting every possible avenue to find her.  Anyone with information should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Edit 5pm 29 November 2013:  Krystal was found safe and well in a small country town in Victoria at lunchtime today.  Her parents are on their way to collect her. 

Simon Gittany guilty of murdering Lisa Harnum

It's just as well Justice Lucy McCallum found Simon Gittany guilty of murdering Lisa Harnum, because an innocent verdict was out of the question. The general public decided he was guilty, right from the start.

And this time, police got it right.  They didn't slip up and do anything that might give the judge cause to disregard evidence because it was prejudged against the accused.  Police had to make sure the media didn't find out that Gittany was a violent man who had spent time in prison and a suspected drug dealer.  He had to be presented to the court as an innocent man, with every opportunity to prove his innocence, and he was. 

In 1993, when he was unemployed, he was questioned by police for receiving $10,000 worth of stolen goods but it wasn't until 1994 that two police went to his home in Merrylands to arrest him. That's when Gittany and his mother physically attacked both men and as her brother wrestled on the floor with police, his sister looked on, hurling abuse. He bit the ear of one officer and both men had to attend Westmead Hospital.  Gittany was sentenced to 30 months for the assault and receiving stolen goods.

Police are currently investigating Gittany's involvement into his business dealings with two convicted methamphetamine dealers who ran a secret drug lab in Sydney. He was also convicted of selling cocaine and sentenced to periodic detention so we now know where the money came from to pay for his expensive suits and the $1000-a-week rent on his Sydney apartment overlooking the beautiful Hyde Park.

Gittany became known to police when he was 18.  He was found guilty of bashing a man while one of his friends held him down. The man had tried to stop Gittany from harassing his ex girlfriend but he got off with a good behaviour bond.

Joan Harnum

Lisa's broken-hearted mother Joan Harnum issued a warning to all other beautiful young women who are being slowly weaned away from their family and friends by their lover/husband.  "If your significant other always knows where you are and what you're doing, you need to take a serious look at what's going on.

Mrs Harnum was asked if she thought Gittany was a suitable partner for her daughter, as if she could do anything about it anyway.  If your child is in love with someone you don't like, there is no way they can be talked into leaving them, the parent must grin and bear it or risk alienation.  Joan Harnum had to stand by and watch as things gradually got worse and when Lisa finally woke up, it was too late.

Rachelle Louise

And it could have been too late for Gittany's current girlfriend Rachelle Louise, had fate not intervened.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Gittany was assaulted by Downing Centre inmates.  He is now in protective custody.

Jonathan Trott heads home

Jonathan Trott

This Ashes tour is brutal with Australians deliberately using every dirty trick in the book.  England batsman Jonathan Trott has withdrawn from the series after England lost the first Test in Brisbane.  Knowing that his departure would cause huge controversy, he made the brave decision to put his health first and go home. Nobody knew he had a "stress-related illness" and he copped his fair share of on-field abuse.

David Warner

David Warner admits the Aussies went too far.  "I made those comments for a reason" he said at Brisbane airport.  "Look, yesterday, the bounce and pace got to them again, it's Ashes cricket..... probably went a little bit too far with the comments but it's cricket, and now it's in the back of their mind."

English TV commentator David Lloyd said Warner's sledging was "nasty, horrible stuff." Although we didn't get to hear everything that was said on field, we can guess.  In a press conference after day 3, Warner said Trott was "weak" and had "scared eyes."

Michael Vaughan (left)

Former English captain Michael Vaughan's comments didn't help. He didn't like Trott's technique against quick-arm bowler Mitchell Johnson and in his Telegraph column on Saturday he said "Jonathan Trott's second innings at the Gabba was among the worst I have seen from an England No 3."  And then "You do not play shots like the ones he did on Saturday without something being seriously wrong in your mind."

Vaughan later tweeted "I do feel guilty for criticising Trott this week....I wasn't to know what he was going through, I can only comment on what I see.

The English Cricket Board said that Trott 32, would take an indefinite break from cricket and would not be returning to the five-Test tour.

Beyond Blue Chairman Jeff Kennett criticized coverage in some Australian newspapers following Trott's decision to leave.  "If Jonathan Trott had broken his arm, nobody would have criticized him or inferred (as the papers are doing) that he's taken his bat and ball and gone home" he told Sydney radio.  "But because it's an illness you can't see, people like to take cheap shots."

South African cricketer Gulam Bodi tweeted "Trott to go home from Ashes due to stress illness!  Bloody man up and take the heat! Stop running for cover."  The tweet has since been deleted.

The tragic death of Harry Dunn

It must have been a shock for truck driver Daniel Hennessy to hear the judge say he was going to jail for a minimum of three years for a traffic offence.  The 34-year-old was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, negligent driving occasioning death, and driving with an illicit drug in his system.

Police alleged that Hennessy was at the wheel of a McCarthy's Transport prime mover, taking a back street to avoid traffic, when he failed to give way at a stop sign in a quiet suburban street and ploughed into a school bus.  Nine year old Harry Dunn was thrown through the windscreen and died at the scene.  

From Hennessy's point of view, it was a tragic accident, he didn't plan on killing anyone, he just took his eyes off the road for a second to check his mobile phone.

Heartbroken parents, Dean and Sarah Dunn

"I placed the phone back in the cup holder in the centre of the dash...I looked up... and realized I was coming up to an intersection....I remember seeing that the intersection had stop signs my way" he said.  "I started to brake and saw the bus coming from the left on Church Street, I turned to the right to try and avoid the bus." 

Daniel Hennessy

Judge Peter Berman sent a clear message to us all -  if you still think it's okay to chat or text while driving, and you cause an accident where someone is killed, it's likely you will go to prison.

Harry's father condemned Hennessy's driving record - 26 speeding offences in three states and banned from driving in NSW twice due to loss of demerit points.  The second ban ended just three months before Harry's death.

The average person doesn't have a shocking driving record like Hennessy, but most of us are guilty of using a mobile phone while driving.

Someone suggested the best way to stay out of trouble is by throwing the mobile into the boot of your car before heading off to work each morning.  There's only one problem with that - most people find this suggestion so alarming, being separated from their mobile, even for a short time, is unthinkable.

Our phones have become an extension of us, and are such a vital part of our daily life, if a call or text comes in, human nature being what it is, we feel compelled to respond, even if we're driving.

Police are doing their best, trying to catch us, but the thought of missing an important call, still keeps the phone within easy reach when we drive.  But it never is an important call, it's just some mundane, trivial matter that could easily wait to be answered.

Meanwhile, while people continue to chat and text on their mobiles every day while they drive, Harry Dunn's heartbroken parents must try to carry on without him.

Australian ABC chief and The Guardian treachery

Mark Scott

On Tuesday in Canberra, ABC Managing Director Mark Scott was questioned at a Senate Estimates Hearing about releasing sensitive information that would harm Australia's relationship with Indonesia. 

He said it was in the "public interest" to reveal that in 2009, Australia tapped the phones of Indonesian leaders and the ABC was right to join The Guardian Australia in publishing secret intelligence stolen from the US National Security Agency by Edward Snowden.

Mr Scott said "Yes, I appreciate that the release of some of this material might ....... cause some difficulties with Australian-Indonesian relationship in the short term."  

Well Mr Scott, releasing sensitive information that will harm your country is called treason and it's clear that you don't have Australia's best interests at heart.  

The phone tapping took place during Labor's watch and it's been suggested that Mr Scott and The Guardian "sat" on the documents and waited until Tony Abbott was elected before releasing the information they knew would destroy his relationship with Indonesia.

Not true says Mr Scott, he said he received the documents "a matter of days before the broadcast."  The leaked documents to The Guardian were massive, he said, and took a long time to examine and they only "had access to this material 24 hours before the ABC was alerted to it."  Let's hope he can prove it.

When Liberal Senator Anne Ruston asked Mr Scott why he published documents that were marked "top secret" he said he believed it was in the public interest to do so.  But what about the national interest Mr Scott?

When The Guardian got hold of the documents, they approached the ABC about working together.  They knew how much the ABC hates the conservatives, and boy does it show.  Labor continually complain about the Murdoch press being responsible for anti-Labor articles, yet seem oblivious to the bias shown to Labor by the ABC.

So now we have three identities working against our country's best interest - Edward Snowden, the boss of the ABC and The Guardian. May you all get what you deserve.