A rich-lister car enthusiast charged with hooning offences has faced court as his lawyers attacked police claims he was seen “deliberately sliding” around a roundabout.
Adrian Portelli, dubbed “Lambo Guy” in the media, was charged just days before Christmas in 2020 over an alleged driving incident on Licence Rd in the Melbourne suburb Diggers Rest on December 22.
The 35-year-old entrepreneur appeared in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning for the start of a two-day hearing to test the charges of careless driving, failing to have proper control of a vehicle on a road and driving in a manner causing one or more wheels of a motor vehicle to lose traction.
Adrian Portelli is diputing claims he was ‘sliding’ around a roundabout. Picture: NewsWire /David Geraghty
Prosecutor Alex Turner told the court it was alleged Mr Portelli, who is also known for his outlandish buying sprees on reality TV show The Block, deliberately lost traction while driving around the roundabout on the wet and rainy afternoon.
He said two Highway Patrol officers were driving on a parallel road and spotted the grey Mercedes C63, which was impounded.
Mr Turner said Mr Portelli was intercepted a few minutes later and allegedly had the following exchange with a police officer.
“G’day mate, picked a bad day to do circlework around the roundabout, mate,” Leading Senior Constable Glenn Hutton said.
“Oh mate, tell me about it,” Mr Portelli allegedly responded.
Mr Portelli is known for his love of cars. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling
Mr Turner said the prosecution would argue this was an “implied admission” of guilt, but Mr Portelli’s lawyer took exception, claiming the case had been ongoing for four years and Tuesday was the first she’d heard of this.
“This is not a trial by ambush,” she said.
The defence lawyer told the court the whole case was based on the eyewitness claims of two officers, and the defence had commissioned an expert report that would cast doubt on what they could have seen.
Adrian Portelli has added a hand built McLaren Senna GTR to the loungeroom of his newest luxury penthouse in Melbourne
Giving evidence, Leading Senior Constable Christopher Ford told the court he first noticed the car when Constable Hutton pointed it and said, “Hey, check this bloke out.”
He told the court the “way the vehicle was moving was consistent with a controlled slide by the driver”.
Constable Ford was challenged by Mr Portelli’s lawyer, who submitted it was not possible for him to see much of the vehicle from 250m away and through the rain.
“I don’t agree with that,” he told the court.
Mr Portelli previously stated he would fight the charges ‘on principle’. Picture: Supplied/Instagram
The defence lawyer also challenged Constable Ford, suggesting he had changed his evidence, which he denied, after receiving the expert report.
Mr Portelli made headlines last week after he and his membership platform LMCT+ were charged in South Australia with conducting or assisting in the conduct of an unlawful lottery.
LMCT+ markets itself as a “shopping tool and rewards club” with monthly membership subscription tiers and regular giveaways.
Mr Portelli made headlines last year when he craned his McLaren Senna GTR 57 into a CBD penthouse. Picture: Instagram / @adrian_portelli
Mr Portelli famously purchased every home on reality TV show The Block this season for a total of $15m, committing to raffle the five properties off through LMCT+.
Responding to the allegations on Instagram pages, Mr Portelli said: “It’s okay SA we still love you.
“Your gambling commissioner won’t allow you to win major life changing prizes so I’ve decided to run exclusive, DAILY $1000 cash giveaways to you guys instead.
“We still love you and I’ll definitely be visiting to do more grocery voucher handouts.”
Outside court, a young fan approached Mr Portelli for a signature.
The hearing continues.