Adrian Portelli: How The Block property investor ‘Mr Lambo’ tried to suppress charges in Melbourne
A wealthy real estate investor who used a crane to lift a race car 57 stories high to display it in his penthouse has tried to suppress the public harassment allegations on the back of his public profile.
Adrian Portelli, Known as ‘Mr Lambo’ after his appearance on the reality TV show The Block, last week shared photos of a $2 million McLaren Senna GTR 57 being lifted into his $39 million penthouse at the Sapphire by the Gardens- tower in Melbourne’s CBD.
On Tuesday, the 34-year-old was videolinked before the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court after being hit by police with three traffic offences.
Adrian Portelli, known as “Mr Lambo,” had a crane lift a $2 million sports car into his luxury penthouse apartment
Adrian Portelli is said to be a careless driver, who lost control of his car while being watched by the police
Flamboyant real estate investor Adrian Portelli is known as ‘Mr Lambo’ after appearing on the reality TV show The Block
Portelli made headlines after appearing on Channel Nine’s The Block (pictured) last year when he made a record-breaking bid for the house renovated by contestants Omar and Oz, but sparked accusations that it was a ‘dummy bid’ to to drive up the price. Portelli denies the allegations
Portelli’s trademark bravado was nowhere to be seen, turning his camera on only when specifically requested by the magistrate.
His lawyer Angelika Yianoulatos tried to hide details of his alleged crime from public scrutiny.
“Before I start submitting comments, I will ask you to close this court due to the fact that Mr. Portelli is a public figure and I can see that there are some journalists on the (video) link,” she said.
“It is my opinion that any publication of these cases could harm Mr. Portelli and the due administration of justice.”
While the court was closed to allow Portelli’s lawyer to plead her case, magistrate Kimberley Swadesir rejected any idea of issuing a suppression order, opened the court and provided Portelli’s indictment forms to Daily Mail Australia.
Court documents show Portelli is charged with taunting at Diggers Rest just before Christmas of 2020, with police each charging him with careless driving, failing to properly control a vehicle and driving in a manner that causes a vehicle to lose traction.
The court heard that Portelli had been released on bail, despite the charges each classed as “summary crimes,” which are considered less serious.
Ms Yianoulatos made it a point to state that her client had only been released on bail because he had been in Queensland ‘to attend a charity event’.
The circumstances surrounding how police brought their case against Portelli and what type of vehicle he was driving at the time of the alleged offenses will remain unknown until his next trial in July.
Ms Yianoulatos said Portelli intended to defend the charges and called on police to provide unredacted copies of both body worn and dashcam footage captured by the officers who intercepted her client.
She also asked him for handwritten or typed notes the officers had made regarding the allegations.
Melbourne real estate developer Adrian Portelli’s daring stunt of towing a $2 million race car into his luxury 57th-floor apartment with a crane sparked outrage
Portelli’s supercar arrives safely at its destination. Police allege Portelli risked an accident by carelessly driving downhill
“We are awaiting further disclosure from the prosecution and I can determine that multiple emails have been sent and we have received half of the assignment (of evidence). I request her honor to issue an order… for the outstanding disclosure prior to the next hearing so that we can expedite matters,” she said.
Ms Swadesir also refused that request, telling Ms Yianoulatos that an order had already been placed last year.
A police prosecutor told the court that Portelli’s defense had been given the full briefing and all the video footage he wanted to give him.
Ms Swadesir also refused Ms Yianoulatos’ request to change Portelli’s return date to the court as it did not fit into her plans.
“It will be a mention and it will be deferred to a match mention or a plea. If any of your instructors or anyone else can show up on that date… I think you need to make other arrangements as June is over and August is too (far away),” Ms Swadesir said.
Portelli made headlines last year after an appearance on Channel Nine’s The Block when he placed a record-breaking bid for the house renovated by contestants Omar and Oz, but sparked accusations that it was a ‘dummy bid’ to drive up the price.
Portelli denies the allegations.
He was in the news again last week after posting pictures of himself posing next to the race car he just hauled into his high-rise apartment.
A first look at the McLaren Senna GTR 57 floors up. A huge thank you to everyone involved for making this absolutely surreal moment possible,” he wrote.
Portelli (second from left) gives Omar and Oz a high five during the auction of the house they renovated for The Block last year
But community reaction to the stunt was immediate, with Portelli defending and attacking his performance on The Block Greens leader Adam Bandt who criticized him on Twitter for the crane stunt.
“Labour gives this man a $9,000 tax cut while people starve on $52 a day,” Bandt wrote.
Portelli did not hold back his reaction.
“Who the hell is this guy trying to use me as a political tool to sympathize with,” he wrote with a red circle around a photo of Mr. Bandt.
Portelli lashed out at those claims and criticism his daring crane stunt had drawn.
“First, my name was publicly thrown out, implying I was a dummy bidder who couldn’t afford The Block house,” he wrote.
“I even suggested that I was friends with the contestants because of my ethnicity.
“Now (sic) people are crying because I have too much money.
‘MAKE IT PEOPLE’
The 34-year-old purchased the luxury penthouse last month in a sale that broke the record for the city’s most expensive apartment when it handed over a whopping $39 million.
However, Mr. Portelli stated that he only wants to use it as a ‘weekender’.