Cleaner says judge was taking drugs on video

A judge was filmed on video with her lover while "apparently" taking cocaine, an Old Bailey jury has been told.

The allegation was made yesterday by a cleaner, Roselane Driza, who is on trial for blackmailing the judge and her former lover, also a judge.

Giving evidence in her defence, the Brazilian, 37, said: "What I saw on the video made me frightened. It seemed to me she was using cocaine, apparently, and he was close to her. I paused and put it away and I did not see any more."

The judges - known only as Miss J and Mr I - were professional colleagues at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. The defendant, who denies blackmailing both judges and stealing two "intimate" cassettes, was working in Britain illegally, the court has been told.

Ms Driza was employed by both judges but, after being sacked by J, she had an affair with I and was living in his flat, the court has heard.

Ms Driza said that when Mr I had come back from a holiday she found a video in his bag. She believed it was of his trip - but was shocked when she saw it was of him and a blonde in bed. "He said it was an old lover but I did not believe him. I was shocked and felt betrayed." When he asked for it back, she had refused, saying she was "jealous and angry with him".

Judge J denied ever taking cocaine when she gave evidence earlier this week.

Ms Driza told the court that she had destroyed the cassettes because Mr I had asked "thousands of times" not to tell anyone or let anyone see them. The trial will resume on Monday.