Police are investigating into newspaper photos of popular TV chef Nigella Lawson being physically attacked by husband Charles Saatchi at a restaurant in London.
The photos released by the U.K. tabloid Sunday People show Saatchi grabbing Nigella's throat four times after a heated argument at Scott's seafood restaurant at Mayfair, London, last Sunday.
In other photos, 70-year-old Saatchi is been tweaking Nigella's nose and raising his hand toward her throat. The 53-year-old TV chef was seen in tears. The Daily Mirror reported that the couple left the place in separate taxis for their home in Chelsea.
"Nigella was very, very upset. She had a real look of fear on her face. No man should do that to a woman. She raised her voice and got angry but at the same time was trying to calm him down, almost like you would try to calm down a child. The kiss was a strange thing. He was being intimidating, threatening. And yet she kissed him. She appeared to be a woman who loves him but was clearly unable to stop him being abusive, frightening and disrespectful to her," an onlooker told Mirror.
Although Lawson has not filed any complaint against the former advertising giant, police are investigating into the matter. "Officers from the Community Safety Unit at Westminster are aware of the Sunday People article. Enquires are in hand to establish the facts of the incident," Metropolitan Police spokesperson told Mirror.
Neither Saatchi nor Lawson has commented on the pictures. Saatchi was seen leaving home this morning in a taxi, clearly avoiding questions by reporters. After nearly 90 minutes, Lawson's son from a previous marriage came and put a suitcase in another taxi and was seen going off with his mother.
