Nene King trial: magazine queen tells of depression, drug problem

MAGAZINE queen Nene King has spoken of chronic depression, substance abuse and losing her fortune in the trial of a former friend charged with fleecing her of thousands.

Former Australian Women's Weekly editor Nene King leaves the Melbourne County Court. Monday, Feb 1. 2016. She is expected to give evidence soon in the trial of Colin Hahne, a former friend who allegedly defrauded her while she was vulnerable. (AAP Image/ David Crosling) NO ARCHIVING

MAGAZINE queen Nene King has spoken of chronic depression, substance abuse and losing her fortune in the trial of a former friend charged with fleecing her of thousands.

The magazine doyen told the County Court today she was “wiped out” by former friend Colin Hahne who she has accused of causing her financial ruin.

Mr Hahne is charged with siphoning more than $40,000 from Ms King’s bank accounts while she battled drug and addiction and depression.

But Ms King today accused him of stealing much more, saying she went from being the richest woman in Australian publishing to owing more than $480,000 in debts.

She said the financial crisis crippled her and forced her to re mortgage her home.

Ms King, the former editor of Woman’s Day and Australian Women’s Weekly, told the jury her life spiralled out of control following the death of her father and then husband within months of each other in 1996.

“Instead of taking the advice I’d given to thousands of women, I went off the rails,” she said.

“I got depressed. I tried to sabotage my own life. I didn’t care”.

Ms King admitted to regularly using marijuana, and trying ice.

“I was very unhappy and I had a drug problem,” she said.

Mr Hahne is with 49 counts of theft and deception related charges with prosecutors alleging he stole from Ms King.

But his lawyers have accused Ms King of burning through her money in substance abuse, out-of-control spending and lavish generosity.

But she angrily denied suggestions she had squandered the money on a lavish lifestyle.

“I wasn’t a wild spender because I still had commitments. I still had to pay all the bills,” she said.

“I was very generous all my life, but it got out of hand.”

Mr Hahne and another friend, Larry Sutcliffe, moved in to Ms King’s Caulfield South home in 2007.

Ms King said she enjoyed the men’s company and appreciated their friendship.

“I’ve never been social. I can count on one hand the true friends who have stood by me through the good and the bad,” she told the jury.

Ms King said while living with Mr Hahne and Mr Sutcliffe, who were in a relationship, she didn’t charge them rent, paid for all bills and expense and even bought Mr Sutcliffe a car.

“I just felt sorry for him. I like his company,” she said.

“I’m a fool. I’m trusting. I know it sounds pathetic.”

Ms King said she could afford to pay for the men’s expenses because she had amassed a fortune while Australia’s magazine queen.

“I had a lot of money in those days,” she said.

“I was named the richest woman in Australian publishing. I had money in those days”.

The court has heard Mr Hahne siphoned money through unauthorised and fraudulent transactions between February and October 2009.

The court heard Ms King had entrusted Mr Hahne to handle her financial affairs.

“I did not give Colin Hahne the right to wipe me out,” Ms King said.

He is accused of withdrawing thousands of dollars in cash from Ms King’s accounts at ATMs and banks and also used her credit cards to pay for accommodation.

The court has heard Mr Hahne also withdrew money at the Crown Casino and a TAB on a string of occasions.

Ms King uncovered the alleged deceptions after one of her platinum credit cards stopped working during a US holiday.

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Originally published as Nene King trial: magazine queen tells of depression, drug problem