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Art collector Charles Saatchi says images of him grasping his wife, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, by the neck show "a playful tiff".






The photos in the Sunday People were taken about a week ago outside a restaurant in Mayfair, central London.

"The pictures are horrific but give a far more drastic and violent impression of what took place," he reportedly told London's Evening Standard.

Ms Lawson has not commented. Police say they are examining the images.

Officers from the Community Safety Unit for Westminster said they were aware of the article and were making inquiries to see if further investigation is necessary. No complaint has been received.

In Monday's Evening Standard, Mr Saatchi said: "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 emphasise my point.

"There was no grip, it was a playful tiff.

"Nigella's tears were because we both hate arguing, not because she had been hurt.

"We had made up by the time we were home. The paparazzi were congregated outside our house after the story broke yesterday morning, so I told Nigella to take the kids off till the dust settled."

Ms Lawson and Mr Saatchi, a former advertising executive, have been married since 2003. She has two children, Cosima and Bruno, from her marriage to journalist John Diamond, who died in 2001.

Ms Lawson's spokesman confirmed that she had left the family home with her children, but did not say whether it was a permanent or temporary move.

Art collector Charles Saatchi says he is divorcing his wife, the television chef Nigella Lawson.

It follows the publication of photographs which showed him with his hands around her throat at a London restaurant in June.

Mr Saatchi, 70, who accepted a police caution for assault, told the Mail on Sunday he had "clearly been a disappointment" to his wife.

He said it was a "heartbreaking" decision for him.

Mr Saatchi said the couple had "become estranged and drifted apart" over the past year.

"I am sorry to announce that Nigella Lawson and I are getting divorced," he told the newspaper.

'Disappointed'
"I feel that I have clearly been a disappointment to Nigella during the last year or so, and I am disappointed that she was advised to make no public comment to explain that I abhor violence of any kind against women, and have never abused her physically in any way."

Charles Saatchi accused his ex-wife Nigella Lawson and her daughter of being "so off your heads on drugs" that she allowed staff to spend "whatever they liked", a court has heard.

Sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo are set to go on trial at Isleworth Crown Court in west London.

They are accused of committing fraud while working as personal assistants to the couple.

Judge Robin Johnson read out an email sent from Mr Saatchi to Ms Lawson.

It said: "Of course now the Grillos will get off on the basis that you [and your daughter] were so off your heads on drugs that you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked and yes I believe every word they have said."

The reference to the email formed part of legal arguments ahead of the trial.

Charles Saatchi has told a court he has "no proof" his ex-wife Nigella Lawson ever took drugs - despite an email he sent claiming she was "off her head". Addressing the Grillos' defence counsel Mr Saatchi said: "I have no proof." Art dealer Mr Saatchi told defence barrister Anthony Metzer QC at Isleworth Crown Court: "I have never, never seen any evidence of Nigella taking any drug whatsoever."

Gob wrote:We see photos of her in the news, entering and leaving court, the article that is from has two of her, what is the point of the court sketch artist?

Nigella Lawson has said she is "disappointed but unsurprised" that two sisters who worked as her personal assistants have been cleared of fraud.

The trial of Francesca Grillo, 35, and sister Elisabetta, 41, heard they spent £685,000 on credit cards owned by the TV cook and ex-husband Charles Saatchi.

They claimed the TV cook allowed their spending to cover up her cocaine use.

Ms Lawson, 53, said her experience as a witness was "deeply disturbing" and she had been "maliciously vilified".

Following the verdict, Ms Lawson said: "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.

"When false claims about habitual drug use were introduced I did everything possible to ensure the CPS was aware of the sustained background campaign deliberately designed to destroy my reputation."

She added: "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."

Media pundits assess how court revelations may affect Nigella Lawson's career

Her ex-husband, the 70-year-old businessman and art dealer Mr Saatchi has yet to comment about the case.