WA: Rose recovering and ready to face trial

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2006
WA: Rose recovering and ready to face trial

By Liza Kappelle

PERTH, April 26 AAP - Perth socialite Rose Porteous is slowly recovering from an "incredibly
tough" few months but keen to defend charges of fraudulently altering a prescription,
says her lawyer.

The widow of mining magnate Lang Hancock will go to trial in the Perth Magistrate's
Court on October 16, accused of altering a prescription for the drug Hypnovel last June.

Her lawyer Shane Brennan suggested the date in the court today, three months after
an undisclosed illness prevented Ms Porteous from appearing at her January 30 trial.

However, outside the court Mr Brennan could not guarantee his flamboyant client would
be well enough in October to turn up for her two-day hearing.

"I'm instructed that she's slowly recovering but it's her wish that the matter be resolved
and go to trial," Mr Brennan told reporters.

Two weeks after she failed to appear at her January trial, Ms Porteous was photographed
at a charity shoe auction in Sydney, where she reportedly announced: "I wear out my shoes
like I wear out my men".

But she was too sick to attend a rescheduled court date in March, when Mr Brennan presented
the magistrate with a letter from his client's psychiatrist saying Ms Porteous was suffering
from a suspected "brain stroke".

Outside the court in Perth today, Mr Brennan would not comment further on his client's
"brain stroke".

"I don't have any further material other than what was tendered to the court last time," he said.

But when asked if Ms Porteous had had a tough time, he said: "Incredibly, yes, she's
genuinely ill".

Earlier in court today, Mr Brennan told Registrar Warren Southwell that Ms Porteous
needed more than one day to defend the charges against her.

"There's convoluted medical evidence for a start," the lawyer said.

Mr Southwell asked Mr Brennan to notify the court in advance if Ms Porteous' health
broke down - so the dates could be used for another trial.

Mr Brennan said he had been unable to give early warning before the January trial.

"Unfortunately the state of my client's illness was not apparent until close to the
trial date," Mr Brennan said.

AAP lk/it/de

KEYWORD: PORTEOUS NIGHTLEAD

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