Nigella Lawson Throat-Grabbing Incident: New Photo, Plus Everything We Know About Alleged Choking

Check out pic of Charles Saatchi placing his hand around his wife's neck

By Brett Malec Jun 19, 2013 8:22 PMTags
Nigella Lawson, Charles SaatchiJean-Paul

Another photo of Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi's alleged choking incident has surfaced.

In a pic obtained by E! News, the celebrity chef's husband can be seen reaching across a restaurant table and grabbing Lawson's throat with his left hand. Lawson appears uncomfortable during the incident, which happened at Scott's restaurant in London just last week.

Here's everything we know about Lawson and Saatchi's domestic drama:

An Earlier Incident: On Dec. 8 of last year, six months before the alleged choking incident, Saatchi was photographed with his left hand over Lawson's mouth as the two dined together in public.

Headline Grabbing: News breaks on Jun. 17 that Saatchi was being investigated after allegedly choking Lawson during a lunch date at their favorite London restaurant Scott's. Saatchi reportedly grabbed his wife's throat repeatedly before she left the eatery in tears.

Saatchi Speaks Out: Saatchi tells the Evening Standard that although he and Lawson had quarreled on the day of the alleged choking, his throat grabbing was only a "playful tiff" and that the couple "made up" by the time the got home that day.

Lawson Leaves: Later that same day, a rep for Lawson confirmed to E! News that she had "left the house" she shared with Saatchi. While the rep confirmed the temporary separation, they had "no comment" on the purported choking.

Cautionary Tale: On the afternoon of Jun. 17, Saatchi was slapped with a caution for assault after voluntarily meeting with officials at a police station in central London. Cautions are not criminal convictions, but they are issued after a person admits an offense and agrees to a warning.

Back to the Table: On Jun. 18, six days after the alleged choking, photos surface of the spouses returning to the scene of the reported scuffle, Scott's restaurant, for their usual meal together. Lawson and Saatchi looked a tad sedate while eating together after a shopping trip.