Naomi Campbell's former agent accused of lies

Naomi Campbell's former agent has been accused of telling a "complete pack of lies" about a gift of alleged "blood diamonds" to the supermodel.

Carole White insisted her account of how ex-Liberian president Charles Taylor gave Campbell the precious stones after the model flirted with him was the truth.

She also claimed Campbell texted or phoned the African leader or his staff as she excitedly waited for her present to arrive.

Campbell told Taylor's war crimes trial in The Hague last week that she received the diamonds after a party hosted by Nelson Mandela in September 1997, but did not know who they came from.

The former president's legal team tore into Ms White's evidence yesterday in a heated cross-examination session at the Special Court for Sierra Leone in the Netherlands.

They suggested she invented her story to support her $600,000 (375,935) legal dispute with Campbell over alleged unpaid royalties from a perfume deal.

Ms White maintained she was telling the truth - but admitted she did not actually hear Taylor tell the south London-born model he would give her the diamonds.

Defence lawyer Courtenay Griffiths QC said to her: "I suggest that your account is a complete pack of lies, and you have made it up in order to assist in your lawsuit against Miss Campbell."

Ms White replied: "It's totally the truth. It has nothing whatsoever to do with my business argument with Naomi Campbell."

She added: "This is not about money, this is about a very serious matter and I am telling the truth."

Ms White, co-founder of Premier Model Management, was questioned about a witness statement in which she said she heard Taylor promising to give Campbell the diamonds at the dinner organised by Mandela in Pretoria, South Africa.

She admitted yesterday that she did not hear him say he would make the gift.

The case continues.