Actor Hugh Grant's PA Harassed By Mum

Guilty: Michelle Scully

The PA to actor Hugh Grant was harassed and abused to the brink of suicide by her own mother, critical of her and her City lawyer husband’s parenting skills, a court heard.

Laura Peel, 39, had asked her mother Michelle Scully, 60, to help out, following the birth of her son, but the couple immediately came under a barrage of criticism, a jury were told.

A particular target was Oxford-educated solicitor Danny Peel, 45, who Scully labelled: ‘a piece of scum’ in a text message, claiming he fell well short of his fatherly responsibilities.

Scully, of Church Lane, Lelant, St. Ives, Cornwall was convicted of harassing her daughter and stalking her son-in-law between 2022 and 2024 following a trial at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court.

The jury found her not guilty of the more serious charge of stalking Laura.

Laura was Hugh’s PA on films including ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’; ‘Cloud Atlas’; ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’; ‘The Rewrite’ and ‘Hugh Grant: Taking on the Tabloids’.

She was also a PA to interior designer Fiona Barratt-Campbell and her husband, ex-footballer Sol Campbell.

Judge Marcus Tregilgas-Davey told a disappointed Scully after the jury’s verdicts: “Whatever you may think I am in full agreement with the jury.

“Your behaviour towards your daughter and son-in-law was nothing short of scandalous, even though you may think you have been wronged.”

He bailed Scully until November 13 for a pre-sentence report on condition she does not contact the Peel’s and resides at her Cornwall address.

“Do not contact them or you will be arrested and brought before me and regardless of your age and gender you will be remanded in custody.

“If you breach these conditions you will be brought back to me and remanded in custody whatever feelings you have about the verdicts.”

Scully was staying at the couple’s home in Barnes, south-west London, but their baby son, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was losing weight, which the defendant criticised them for.

When Scully was given the option of remaining and being supportive or leaving she chose the second option.

Victims: Laura & Danny Peel

Giving from evidence behind a screen an emotional Laura, who sobbed throughout, told the trial: “You’re emotional and then your mother starts trying to destroy your life with things like: ‘Have you killed (son) yet?’

“She is sending messages at 2.00am with horrible bile while we are awake, trying to feed our baby.

“It was not the start in life we wanted for him and it was very traumatic for both me and Danny.”

Earlier prosecutor James Halliday told the jury: “This was a systematic, deliberate campaign of stalking and harassment, involving reporting Mr Peel to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and instigating civil County Court proceedings.

“Sadly, Laura Peel contemplated taking her own life during the abuse.” 

The court heard the couple’s relationship with Scully, who was there to assist, turned sour as soon as they returned to their home with their son.

“She was very critical of their care, saying they were negligent parents in the way they were looking after their son,” explained Mr Halliday.

“My mum was coming to cook and support us in the early days,” explained Laura. “She started criticising our parenting and (our son) was losing weight. We had midwives and health visitors and it was a struggle.

“My mother was not happy about the course of action we were taking and was criticising our parenting, particularly Danny and would take (our son) out of his arms.

“She was angry and then she left. I was really upset because the last thing you want when you have a newborn baby is to fall out with your mother.

“She was telling us we were bad parents and that’s when the abusive messages started.”

Laura was required to return during the second week of the trial to give additional evidence and told the jury: "My mum regularly, in the heat of an argument, told me she wanted me to kill myself.

"I felt I wanted to die when my mum told me I was worthless and that my husband was worthless in an hour-long phone conversation and that I would be in the gutter, where I belong."

Mr Halliday said the abusive messages began immediately and Scully also emailed Mr Peel’s City commercial law firm Travers Smith, where he is a partner.

She demanded the repayment of £225,000 from the couple, threatening to cut Laura out of her will, writing in one text: ‘You are such an awful daughter, vile and greedy. I really detest you.’

“She made comments that Laura only went out with Danny for his money.”

In an email to Mr Peel’s firm Scully said he “misappropriated property” and claimed he coerced her out of money under duress by claiming the couple’s £3m house purchase would fall through, without financial assistance.

Scully claimed she lost £300,000 to the couple and launched civil proceedings for the return of £31,000, but this was abandoned.

There is no suggestion Mr Peel behaved improperly.

Sentencing in November: Michelle Scully

Scully also contacted friends and other family members of the couple, continuing with her allegations and criticism.

“It was devastating. The things she was saying about Danny weren’t right,” Laura told the trial. “It felt like a complete invasion of privacy and showed what she was prepared to do. They all blocked her.

“There were so many awful things. I have told my mum private things and they have been twisted beyond recognition.

“The whole thing was awful and she was now damaging Danny’s career. It was really upsetting snd she is someone known for vengeance and taking people down.”

Another text she received from her mother read: ‘You’re a spoiled brat, who married a disgusting pig of a man.’

Laura told the trial her mother was responsible for ending her working relationship with Hugh Grant at a time when she was also her daughter’s landlady.

“I worked for Hugh Grant for a few years and was supposed to take over from a woman who had been working for him for twenty years, but she never left.

“Hugh Grant offered me another job, working on his campaign, which I was interested in and staying on the same wage, but mum stopped me and said he was fobbing me off and would evict me from the house if I took it.”

The jury were told during the stalking campaign, which saw Scully receive four police warnings to stop, she also roped in the actor to an email chain regarding an old invoice of Laura’s.

“There was no need to send that email to Hugh Grant,” said Laura. “It was embarrassing and I received an email from his accountant saying Hugh Grant was upset.”

After delivering their verdicts Judge Tregilgas-Davey turned towards the jury and told them: “At times this case has been quite traumatic regarding the emotions and I thank you for putting your feelings to one side and concentrating on the evidence.”

Not Guilty Of 'Life Changing' Punch

Not Guilty: Modeste

A husband who received a devastating punch in front of his wife saw the man who delivered the blow walk free after a jury cleared him of GBH today.

Anthony Modeste, 51, was outside his gym in Staines-upon-Thames when a row began between himself and Charlie and Charlotte Simmons, who were in their Land Rover.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard the defendant clashed with the couple on June 5, last year, but he told the jury he acted in self-defence after being threatened and was cleared.

The prosecution alleged Modeste was still angry about something that happened years ago, but he denied this.

The complainant’s wife Charlotte told the trial: “I was in the vehicle and he spat towards my vehicle and kissed his teeth.”

She said Modeste was “loud and aggressive” and got in her face by the side of the Land Rover, causing her husband Charlie to intervene.

He told Modeste: “We don’t want any drama,” Charlotte told the jury.

“He was being aggressive towards me,” she continued. “He did not step back he stepped towards me.”

Modeste claimed he stepped back during the encounter and that Mr Simmons “rushed” towards him with his arms raised.

Modeste admitted throwing a punch, but claimed he did not realise the severity of the impact, believing it caught Mr Simmons’ arm or was just a glancing blow to the top of the head.

“He threw a punch so hard I heard the impact in my left ear,” added Charlotte. “That damage has impacted my husband’s life forever now.

"Damaged": Charlie Simmons

“He came as an aggressor and threw powerful punch to my husband which has changed his and all of our lives forever.

“He swung with intent to seriously harm my husband.”

Modeste, of De Ros Place, Egham, Surrey told the trial he had arrived for a session at his gym and got into an argument with Charlotte.

“She was pushing her fingers up in my face,” claimed Modeste, who said he had his walking stick with him at the time.

He said Mr Simmons came rushing around from the other side of the Land Rover.

“I’m assuming he is going to hit me and I had to defend myself.

“I didn’t think I hit him in his mouth, but the arm or top of the head. In my perception I didn’t hit anyone to cause GBH.”

When Modeste was later arrested at the gym he told police: “No-one’s hit no-one.”

The jury found him not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm, but Modeste was made subject to a five-year restraining order, prohibiting him contacting the couple or entering their neighbourhood in the Vincent Road area of Staines-upon-Thames.

Pub Union Jacks Burned By Group Shouting 'Allahu Akbar'

Zaid Sami & Nour Sami

Three hooded and masked men, who tore down and burned two Union Jack flags from outside a pub while shouting “Allahu Akbar”, were responsible of an “attack on the British people,” a jury heard.

There were also shouts of “F*** the UK” and “Free Palestine”, from the trio the trial heard, who along with a mystery fourth suspect gathered around the flags in a nearby alleyway and set fire to them.

They are: brothers Zaid Sami, 21 and Nour Sami, 20, both of Faggs Road, Feltham and Omar Sukkar, 21, of Worton Road, Isleworth.

All three are on trial at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court, where they have all pleaded not guilty to the racially-aggravated criminal damage of the flags belonging to The Fox public house, Church Street, Twickenham on October 23, 2023.

Prosecutor Mark Mullins said: “This case is about the ripping down and burning of two Union Flags, which the prosecution asserts is an attack on the British people and their way of life and is therefore racially aggravated.

“Just after 6.00pm in the evening four young men ripped down two Union Jacks from The Fox public house and set fire to them.

“While they were burning the flags they were heard shouting: ‘Allahu Akbar’; ‘Free Palestine’ and ’Stop bombing children.’

Omar Sukkar

“CCTV evidence shows Sukkar climbing onto a noticeboard below one of the Union flags and Zaid Sami removing the other Union flag and they both damaged the poles and fixings.

“Moments later in a nearby alleyway there was a strong acrid smell as the burned the flags, say witnesses,” added Mr Mullins.

“The background is that on October 7, 2023 Hamas launched missiles from the Gaza Strip into Israel and an incursion that led to several hundred deaths and kidnappings.

“Then UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gave a speech on October 19 that Israel had a right to defend itself and on October 23 he made a similar speech to the House of Commons.”

Landlord Paul Brace told the trial: “I had two Union Jack flags on poles. It is a very British street and we also have flags up during the rugby, the Six Nations via the Church Street Association.

“I felt it brightened the street up to have the national flags, even when there isn’t an event on.

‘It is a symbol of our country, what we stand for, our values and is a recognisable symbol around the world, very distinctive.

Fox Public House

“It was the flag flown at the Battle of Trafalgar and should be flown with a sense of pride.”

He was in his flat above the club when his deputy manager raised the alarm. “She phoned me in a state of distress and shock.

“Some men had been ripping at both flags from their holders, breaking the poles and they ran down the street.

“I followed them down the alleyway and saw four figures huddling over the flags and passing around what looked like a lighter and were struggling to get it going.

“I smelled a plastic burning smell like nylon and heard specifically ‘Allahu Akbar’. There were multiple voices saying it, they were all joining in.

“They were oblivious to me being there. I was tempted to intervene, but thought better of it.”

His 999 call was played to the jury, who also inspected the remains of the burned flags, and Mr Brace could be heard telling the operator: “Wether it’s terror-related or not, I don’t know.”

Landlord Paul Brace

Police were quickly on the scene and detained the three defendants, with a fourth suspect escaping and they repeated their shouts regarding Gaza and Israel while detained.

Local man Peter Lawlor was drinking outside the nearby Eel Pie public house and he told the jury: “Four lads walked past and one was wearing an Arab-style scarf, two had masks and another had a hood up and one of them said: ‘F*** the UK’.”

Mr Mullins continued: “The prosecution say they were all in a group acting together and Nour Sami was encouraging them and looking out even though he was not seen pulling down the flags.

“They were motivated due to hostility of that racial group, namely being British. Saying: ‘F*** the UK,’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’ showed hostility to being British.

“Their comments on arrest provides context to their actions,” the prosecutor told the jurors. “You may share these sentiments, but it led to these defendants going further.

“They turned against the very country they were part of. It was Britain’s support of Israel that prompted their actions.”

Trial continues……………