Charles Saatchi’s ex-wife has spoken out in his defence claiming he was never ‘physically abusive’ towards her.
Kay Saatchi, a US-born art collector, made her comments after her ex accepted a police caution for assaulting his wife, Nigella Lawson, in a very public row.
‘Whilst Charles has always had his faults, I never experienced him to be physically abusive,’ Ms Saatchi said. ‘He may be hard work but I feel he is being treated unfairly. This should not be part of his legacy.’
She and Mr Saatchi were married for 11 years – she was his second wife – until they divorced acrimoniously in 2001.
The comments appeared in the Evening Standard where Mr Saatchi, now an art collector, is a columnist.
The newspaper is under online pressure to fire the 70-year-old after tabloid photos showed him with his hands around 53-year-old Lawson’s neck during a row outside Scott’s restaurant, in Mayfair.
Mr Saatchi refused to comment on his marriage as he left his £14million Chelsea home. His wife of nine years has not been seen in public since the pictured were published on Sunday.
