Scottish Daily Mail

Petra’s ex ‘cheated drugs tests to win right to see their children’

- By Miles Dilworth

ENTREPRENE­UR James Stunt cheated drugs tests during his £5billion divorce from petra ecclestone by giving fake urine samples to win access to the couple’s three young children, his former bodyguard claims.

Justin Kalnutis said he and a friend were paid £150 each to provide ‘clean’ samples to hide Mr Stunt’s drug use during the legal proceeding­s.

Mr Kalnutis, who worked for Mr Stunt for five months, told MailOnline: ‘Stunt needed to demonstrat­e [to the courts] that he was not on drugs to be granted access to his children.

‘I was paid cash in hand to give a clean urine sample and was asked to find a friend to do the same.’

Mr Kalnutis – along with other former employees who have come forward to provide testimony – claimed Stunt was regularly taking cocaine during the custody battle. A photograph obtained by MailOnline taken on January 23 during the High Court case appears to show a large wrap of cocaine hidden inside a container on Stunt’s bedside table.

Miss ecclestone, daughter of F1 boss Bernie ecclestone, won sole custody of five-year-old Lavinia and three-year-old twins James and Andrew – but an agreement was reached allowing Mr Stunt to spend time with his children.

Her lawyers argued her exhusband’s drug addiction had been a major factor in the breakdown of their seven-year marriage last year. However, at a preliminar­y hearing on January 11, Mr Stunt’s lawyers said his usage was recreation­al and not an addiction. they said he had taken a drug test and was awaiting the result.

Mr Kalnutis believes that was a test he had secretly taken the previous day. the 6ft 7in former basketball player from Lithuania said that on January 9 he had been asked if he would provide a urine sample by a member of Mr Stunt’s household staff.

‘I was told the urine sample would be used by Mr Stunt, who needed to demonstrat­e to the court that he was not on drugs, to be granted access to his children,’ he said.

‘I understood that Mr Stunt’s ex-wife was asking for a court order to restrict access because she was concerned he was a heavy user of cocaine. I wasn’t surprised to be asked to provide a sample.

‘I am fit and healthy and I knew that James was suspected of taking drugs. I was told that I would be paid £150. I didn’t really think about the fact that what I was doing was against the law. My thoughts were that he was the boss and I had to help him.’

Mr Kalnutis, 27, said he gave the sample on January 10. He said: ‘I was shouted at to come upstairs by a member of his staff. I went to the first-floor toilet and he gave me a condom to pee in.’

Mr Kalnutis claims he was asked to give another sample on January 17, but felt uneasy and asked a friend to do it instead. the friend, also from Lithuania, visited Mr Stunt’s home on January 20 and gave a sample. He was also paid £150, while Mr Kalnutis received another £50 for arranging it.

the bodybuilde­r quit working for Stunt, said to now be dating Canadian Kristina Wurtemberg, 26, in April after accusing him of withholdin­g wages.

 ??  ?? Custody battle: James Stunt with his then wife Petra
Custody battle: James Stunt with his then wife Petra

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom