Black's wife lashes out at media 'vermin and sluts' outside court

I've been wondering, whilst waiting for Conrad Black's trial to begin, over whether or not his wife would attend the trial and what she would wear if she did so. After all, her profligate spending is bound to be a huge part of the prosecution's case against the former newspaper proprietor.

Does she dress down and risk alienating the jury who might see through such a ploy, or does she wear her ordinary clothes and risk being seen as a spendthrift?

The question was rendered moot when she did appear as her outburst at the press, whom she referred to as "vermin" and a Canadian television producer who she wrote off as a "slut", left her attire of no consequence. It was quite an entrance she made into the proceedings.

Barbara Amiel first came to my attention when she was asked what she thought of Concorde and replied, "I don't use public transport."

That level of snobbery really does beggar belief.

Indeed, their lifestyle, and who financed it, has already been the subject of much interest:

One of the reasons the money was needed, the report said, was to "satisfy the liquidity needs arising for the personal lifestyle Black and his wife had chosen to lead".

These choices included the purchase or lease of two corporate jets, a $530,000 (£295,000) holiday in French Polynesia, a $2,463 handbag, exercise equipment at $2,083, opera tickets for $2,785, a "birthday party for Barbara" at New York's La Grenouille restaurant costing $42,870, contributions to the salaries of a chef, senior butler, guard and chauffeurs at their homes in London, New York and Florida, perfume, food, shopping trips for Amiel and cash for tips on such shopping trips.

Some of the above was charged to Black's company Hollinger, which is why Black now finds himself in court.

Yesterday, Amiel arrived at the court and enamoured herself to one and all with a performance that was breathtaking even by her standards:

Forced to travel from the courtroom in a lift packed with journalists, Lady Black said: "You journalists are vermin. I used to be a journalist and I didn't doorstep people and I didn't hold my nose in the elevator."

It was a producer from the Canadian television broadcaster CBC who appeared to trigger the tirade. Lady Black shouted at her "you slut". Alana Black, who is Lord Black's daughter from his first marriage, giggled during the incident.

Lady Black later admitted to friends that she had "lost her cool". Her husband had been no less combative on his way into court. "You look like a Vietnam protester," he said to a journalist who was queuing for one of the few spaces available for the press.

There are reports that Black's lawyers are hoping not to have to put him in the stand as they worry that his "aloof" manner might alienate the jury.

Let's hope none of the jury read the papers as the manners of both of them will be sure to raise eyebrows.

Black is accused of fraud involving $84m (£43.2m) and of using his company "like a private piggy bank". The trial continues and, if it continues at this rate, I am looking forward to every second of it.

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Tags: Conrad Black, Barbara Amiel, fraud, Hollinger