The high-profile Sydney Chinese woman Lanlan Yang has pleaded not guilty to all charges relating to a crash in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in July that left a driver for FM radio host Kyle Sandilands with serious injuries.
The 23-year-old was accused of being at the wheel of a $1.5m Rolls-Royce SUV when it collided with a Mercedes driven by George Plassaras on New South Head Road in Rose Bay on 26 July.
Yang was charged with refusing or failing to submit to breath analysis, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, not giving particulars to police and negligent driving (occasioning grievous bodily harm).
Her solicitor, Michael Korn, entered a not guilty plea to all four charges and requested a brief of evidence from the police to review.
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Except for the first mention, when she appeared in court through video appearance, Yang has been excused by the court from attending.
“Obviously the matter is quite tough, it’s got a lot of attention, but we are taking to it,” Korn told the media outside the court.
Yang’s case has attracted attention from the Chinese Australian community and on Chinese-language social media due to her lavish wealth and speculation about her background.
At previous hearings, dozens of Chinese Australians attended to observe. This time, only seven community members were present, including the Chinese-language YouTube shock jock known as Sydney Daddy.
Yang continues to be on bail with the same conditions, including regularly reporting to her local police station.
NSW police were ordered to serve the brief of evidence to Yang’s legal team by 9 January. The case will return to court on 30 January.
