The man who drove the getaway car in the murder of fashion designer Maurizio Gucci told a Milan court yesterday he was pressured by the victim's ex-wife into taking part in the killing.
Orazio Cicala implicated Patrizia Reggiani Martinelli during an outburst at the trial of five suspects, who include himself and Gucci's former wife. He admitted driving the getaway car used after the murder of Gucci, who was shot dead on March 27th, 1995, in Milan. But he denied the killer was Benedetto Ceraulo, another of the five suspects in the trial which opened on May 19th.
Cicala said he was pressured into the crime by Reggiani, who the prosecution accuses of having ordered the murder and paying 600 million lire (about £248,000) to the killers.
Three Spice Girls have gone into hiding at Elton John's mansion on the French Riviera following the defection of group member Geri Halliwell, or Ginger Spice, the Sun reported yesterday.
The remaining members of the Spice Girls are due to embark on a string of 40 North American concerts in two weeks' time without Geri. Mel C, or Sporty Spice, was in Dublin yesterday working on the group's next album.
Actress Julie Walters has secretly wed her long-term partner Grant Roffey, she revealed yesterday. The pair, who have been together 13 years, finally tied the knot during a trip to celebrate his 40th birthday last year.
Julie (48), and Grant met in a London wine bar. He offered to mend her washing machine - and stayed.