Celeb chef Nigella Lawson's husband, art collector Charles Saatchi, voluntarily accepted an assault caution from British authorities after The Mirror leaked questionable photos of the couple Sunday. The Brit paper's Sunday People edition released images of Saatchi with his hands clasped around his 53-year-old wife's neck while dining at a London restaurant on June 9.
A detailed account of the alleged interaction between the 70-year-old and Lawson was also reported in the publication, stating:
Saatchi launched a tirade of angry words. Four times he grasped her around the neck with Nigella, 53, looking powerless and petrified. At first he used only his left hand, then both. At one stage he tweaked her nose then pushed both hands in her face. Twice Nigella jerked her head backwards as if in fear.
According to E! News, the advertising mogul "voluntarily attended a central London police station and accepted a caution for assault," after an investigation regarding the photos was carried out by the Community Safety Unity at Westminster.
While Saatchi originally dismissed the photos as a "playful tiff," he willingly accepted the charges after public outrage escalated Monday.
The caution isn't the same as an official charge, but according to Reuters:
Under English law, a caution can be given to an adult who admits a minor offence and this is not a criminal conviction but can be used as evidence of bad character in court for another crime. The suspect can be arrested or charged if they do not agree to be cautioned.
Lawson's rep has yet to release a statement but the chef was spotted leaving their shared home since the incident.
