I put poison in lingerie boss's soup, says nanny

Published on Thursday 3 February 2011 16:49

A WOMAN who worked as a nanny for Ann Summers boss Jacqueline Gold has admitted trying to poison the lingerie tycoon by spiking her soup with screen wash.

Allison Cox pleaded guilty to administering poison to Ms Gold "with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy". Prosecutors dropped two other charges of attempted poisoning with sugar and salt.

The hearing was the first time the court had heard a motive for the poisoning, which experts said would have been unlikely to cause much harm to Ms Gold.

Cox, 33, was employed to look after Ms Gold's daughter Scarlett when the poisoning took place last October.

Prosecutor Rachel Davies said Cox tampered with the food because of "some animosity from the defendant towards the cook. She put it into the food to cause the cook to be questioned about it."

The plot unravelled after Gold criticised the cook about the odd-tasting food. The chef became suspicious and removed the leftover broth from the trash to investigate.

At Guildford Crown Court Judge Christopher Critchlow said Cox would be sentenced on 4 March. She was freed on bail.

Ms Gold is one of Britain's richest women, whose chain of stores selling underwear and sex toys has earned her a fortune estimated at 180 million.

She built the business by shifting the focus of the company, founded by her father, from men to women and trying to drop any links to pornography or the sex industry.

She became the 16th wealthiest woman in Britain by taking her father's company and transforming it by launching women-only parties as its main marketing tool.

Her stores now feature on most main streets in the UK, including a flagship unit in Princes Street, Edinburgh.