By Erin Pearson and Brittany Busch
Billionaire businessman Adrian Portelli is fighting accusations he performed “circle work” when he allegedly lost control of his car’s back wheels at a roundabout in an outer Melbourne suburb.
Portelli, 35, faced Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, four years after he allegedly drove a grey Mercedes-Benz C-Class C63 coupe carelessly in wet weather in Diggers Rest on December 22, 2020.
Adrian Portelli (centre) leaves Sunshine Magistrates’ Court after Tuesday’s hearing.Credit: Joe Armao
The court heard Portelli admitted he was the driver on the day.
Highway patrol officer Leading Senior Constable Christopher Ford said he saw Portelli perform a “controlled slide” as he entered the intersection, with the front of the Mercedes remaining pointing towards a roundabout while the back wheels lost traction.
Body-worn camera footage played in court showed Ford’s colleague, Leading Senior Constable Glenn Hutton, then approach the driver’s window. The footage showed Portelli behind the wheel of the Mercedes, smiling at the police officer.
“G’day mate, picked a bad day to do circle work around the roundabout,” Hutton says as Portelli winds down his window.
“Oh mate, tell me about it,” Portelli replies.
Portelli is charged with careless driving, failing to keep proper control and driving in a manner causing one or more wheels to lose traction. He is contesting the charges.
His defence team was on Tuesday particularly critical of Ford, who was also captured speaking on footage from a body-worn camera attached to his chest.
While seated in the police car as the two officers say they saw Portelli’s car lose traction, Ford said, “F---ing oath.”
Portelli pictured last year. His business has an annual revenue of about $60 million. Credit: Kristoffer Paulsen
Ford told the magistrate this was said in agreement with his colleague, who had noted the concerning driving nearby.
Defence barrister Penny Marcou questioned whether it was acceptable language for a police officer, but Ford said it was simply colloquial language in the privacy of a police car and a phrase he commonly used.
“I said, ‘f---ing oath’ because I saw it and agreed with him,” Ford said.
Portelli is known to many as “Lambo Guy” after he pulled up to an auction on the 2022 season of The Block reality TV series in a yellow Lamborghini. The flashy reputation stuck when he later made headlines for hoisting his $3 million McLaren 57 floors into his $39 million penthouse in the Melbourne CBD.
Portelli (left) at the auction on this year’s The Block season finale.Credit: Nine
Portelli returned to The Block in 2023 to buy three properties in Hampton East and in last month’s 2024 season finale secured what he called “the royal flush” by outbidding rivals on all five homes at a former holiday resort on Phillip Island.
All houses were offered as giveaways to members of LMCT+, the trading name of Portelli’s company, Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd, which charges joining fees of up to $100 a month.
“As mayor of Portelli town, I would like to announce a world first,” he wrote on Instagram the day after last month’s finale. “LET’S GIVE AWAY A FKN RESORT!!!”
Portelli has run LMCT+ since 2018 and last year The Australian Financial Review reported the business had an annual revenue of about $60 million.
Portelli leaves Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday in a grey Lamborgini four-wheel-drive.Credit: Joe Armao
On Tuesday, Marcou was critical of police for impounding the car, which she described as a “brand-new spanking” Mercedes owned by Portelli’s then-girlfriend.
She also suggested police “completely exaggerated” their evidence to suit their narrative.
Both officers denied acting outside the scope of their jobs and said neither knew who Portelli was when they pulled him over. In the footage, the officers sounded surprised when Portelli told them he owned two homes.
Hutton maintained he saw the Mercedes perform doughnuts and fishtail before he and Ford intercepted Portelli and impounded the car.
Portelli left the court precinct in a dark grey Lamborghini four-wheel-drive. His hearing will continue on Wednesday before magistrate Michael McNamara.
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