Nigella Lawson, British TV chef, appears to be choked by husband during public argument The art tycoon husband of sexy celebrity chef Nigella Lawson admitted to cops Monday that he attacked and throttled her at a London restaurant. Charles Saatchi’s admission came a day after shocking photos ran in a British tabloid showing him with his hand gripping his wife’s throat. Saatchi, a millionaire advertising guru who owns art galleries in London and New York, had earlier brushed the incident off as a “playful tiff.”
He was hit with caution for assault — the British equivalent of a legal warning — after voluntarily going to a London police station and being grilled for five hours. Lawson did not seek charges. The disturbing pictures, published in the London Mirror’s People Sunday section, were taken June 6 as the power couple dined al fresco at posh restaurant Scott’s in central London.The series of photos appear to show Saatchi and Lawson engaged in an argument that turned violent. The pictures show Saatchi clutching Lawson’s throat with his left hand and also grabbing her nose. Lawson, 53, was also photographed leaving the restaurant in tears. “I can confirm that she has moved out of the family home,” Lawson’s spokesman said without elaborating. Before going to the police station, Saatchi downplayed the incident. “About a week ago, we were sitting outside a restaurant having an intense debate about the children, and I held Nigella’s neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasize my point,” Saatchi told the London Evening Standard, where he writes a column. “There was no grip,” he said. “It was a playful tiff.” |
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