Shari-Lea Hitchcock’s cheerful day in court over biting police
A CHEERFUL Shari-Lea Hitchcock — the socialite and once mistress of billionaire cardboard king Richard Pratt — has posed for the cameras as she left Sydney’s Downing Centre Court following the adjournment of a hearing into allegations she bit a police officer.
NSW
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A CHEERFUL Shari-Lea Hitchcock posed for the cameras as she left Sydney’s Downing Centre Court following the adjournment of a hearing into allegations she bit a police officer.
The socialite and once mistress to one of Australia’s richest men, the late billionaire cardboard king Richard Pratt, waved and flashed a smile at photographers after the prosecution was forced to abandon proceedings in the local court.
The 48-year-old Vaucluse resident is charged with resisting arrest, assaulting an officer and common assault after she allegedly bit the leg of an officer following a lunch in Woollahra with other socialites, including Lizzie Buttrose, on March 25, 2016.
Today police prosecutor Craig Pullmen, who has only recently taken charge of the matter, requested an adjournment because the arresting officer could not give evidence as she had been on sick leave since January after suffering an injury while on duty.
“The officer is paramount in the prosecution case. I apologise for the late notice,” Mr Pullmen said.
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“I certainly had not been made aware of this injury prior to today’s hearing date.”
Hitchcock’s legal team opposed the adjournment but Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson granted the delay but said the case must be finalised by August.
“I am must weigh up the interests of justice against those of the public interest in this matter,” Magistrate Atkinson said.
“On the next occasion if the witness is not available then it is going to get harder to weigh the interests of justice against the public interest and the fairness to the accused.”
The court has previously heard Hitchcock was arrested after a good samaritan stopped to help her when she was spotted “stumbling in high heel boots” in traffic after what was described in court as a boozy lunch.
Police and witness statements provided to the court described Hitchcock as “highly intoxicated, eyes glazed and smelling strongly of intoxicating liquor”.
During a previous court hearing last year Hitchcock’s legal team made an application for the matter to be dealt with under the mental health act but it was dismissed.
They argued she was suffering hypoglycaemia — or low blood sugar levels — and blamed a high-carb pizza for triggering the incident.
The court heard that during the arrest Hitchcock threatened to sue police and after being taken back to Waverely Police station kicked her cell door and screamed: “You don’t know who you are dealing with.”
“I will sue you until the cows come home.”
Police allege Hitchcock swore, tried to steal a police officer’s notebook and threatened officers, saying to a female officer: “F … you, I don’t have to go anywhere with you f … ing bitch.”
The matter return to Downing Centre Local Court on June 7.
