Asil Nadir's trial halted after accident

Business tycoon Asil Nadir's trial was abandoned for the day at the Old Bailey to allow him to rush to his wife's bedside.

The judge explained to the jury that Nadir, 70, was too distressed to continue with the case today.

Nur Nadir, 27, was taken to a central London hospital yesterday after being thrown from her horse in Hyde Park.

Earlier in the day, she had been at court to support Nadir who is accused of siphoning off £150 million from his Polly Peck business empire before it collapsed in 1991.

Nadir, of Mayfair, central London, denies 13 specimen counts of theft amounting to £34 million between 1987 and 1990.

He was arrested and was due to stand trial in 1993 but left Britain for Northern Cyprus, only to return in August 2010.

The couple married in Northern Cyprus when university graduate Nur was 21. It was Nadir's second marriage.

She has been by his side for most of the trial which began two months ago.

A shaken looking Nadir turned up at court today but left soon afterwards.

Mr Justice Holroyde later told the jury: "Unfortunately, Mr Nadir's wife had an accident yesterday and as a result of which she has been admitted to hospital.

"Mr Nadir is so distressed and anxious about his wife's condition that it simply would not be sensible to expect him to play a part in the proceedings today.

"I have given him permission to be absent."

The judge explained that it would not be possible to go on with the evidence of administrator Christopher Morris.

The trial was adjourned to tomorrow after 40 minutes during which other evidence was read.

PA