Adrian Portelli denies allegations of being caught ‘red-handed’ doing ‘circle work’

Smiling at police after being allegedly caught ‘red handed’ hooning in Melbourne could have been nerves or just his trademark face, billionaire Adrian Portelli has told a court.

Australian billionaire Adrian Portelli faces ‘circle-work’ charges in Melbourne.

Adrian Portelli said he was lost and “frazzled” before he was pulled over in a luxury sports car by police who allege he was doing “circle work” around a roundabout.

Police prosecutor Alex Turner cross-examined the 36-year-old billionaire from Melbourne on Wednesday, as he denied purposefully losing traction during a rainy day in the outer suburb of Diggers Rest a couple of days before Christmas in 2020.

Mr Portelli said “that’s incorrect” on Tuesday, when responding to the proposition that police were suggesting he “was doing donuts”.

Adrian Portelli at Summernats. Picture: Instagram

Mr Portelli was charged with 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.

During his closing submissions after a two-day hearing in court, Mr Turner said police alleged the nose of the Mercedes C63 was pointing towards the centre of roundabout “at all times”, and that in the experience of the police officer who allegedly witnessed the conduct “it was a deliberate and controlled act”.

Mr Portelli rejected prosecution claims he “fabricated” evidence about being lost and relying on a GPS which “bugged out” while he was driving around a roundabout in his ex-partner’s car.

“It was just a moment. I’m sure anyone that’s used a GPS (has experienced a glitch). It just gave off the wrong directions. I was just frazzled,” he said.

Vision from a police officer’s body worn camera was played in court without audio, which showed the alleged interaction between Mr Portelli and authorities. 

In the vision Mr Portelli appears to be smiling.

Mr Turner said to Mr Portelli you don’t look “frazzled” or “flustered”.

“I’m generally always smiling. It could be a nervous smile,” Mr Portelli said.

The billionaire also rejected suggestions he had completely changed his evidence during the hearing because he was “making up” his story, after Mr Portelli initially claimed he was driving on the Calder Freeway but later said it was the Melton Highway just before he was intercepted.

Earlier, Mr Portelli responded to questions about why he laughed said “you’re telling me” when he was pulled over by police who allegedly told him he had “picked a bad day to do circle work”.

“It was a nervous response and a frazzled response. A lot of people would show signs of nervousness, somewhat intimidation when pulled over by a police officer,” he said.

Mr Turner said Mr Portelli’s evidence about being confused, flustered and lost is “entirely inconsistent” with his verbal response to police.

“I put to you that your face is clear. You know what’s being put to you and you know why you have been intercepted.”

Mr Portelli responded: “That’s completely incorrect.”

“I have that smile on my face all the time.”

Portelli’s social media post about not eating oysters. Picture: Instagram

“There is only one reason you have responded in that manner, that is because you were caught red handed doing circle work,” Mr Turner said.

Mr Portelli responded: “My interpretation of circle work is completely different to yours.”

Magistrate Michael McNamara will deliver a decision in the matter on March 13, when he will also decide if he will release police footage and other material tendered in court to the media.

The Melbourne man’s personal wealth has soared to $1.6bn as his online lottery business LMCT+ booms.

Portelli was allowed to give evidence from home via video after a letter from his doctor to the court explained it would be “highly undesirable” for him to give evidence in court.