Mysterious Chinese Heiress Granted Further Court Absences in High-Profile Crash Case
A Sydney magistrate has permitted enigmatic Chinese heiress LanLan Yang to avoid another court appearance, marking the sixth and seventh occasions she has been excused from attending proceedings in person. The 23-year-old was notably absent from Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, where her legal representative entered not-guilty pleas to two serious charges related to an alleged collision last July.
Serious Charges and Repeated Absences
Yang faces multiple grave charges that could potentially result in imprisonment if she is found guilty. The allegations stem from an incident where her distinctive $1.5 million Tiffany-blue Rolls-Royce Cullinan reportedly collided with a Mercedes van in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The van was being driven by George Plassaras, the long-serving chauffeur for radio personality Kyle Sandilands, who sustained life-altering injuries in the crash and may never return to work.
Since her initial arrest, Yang has made only a single physical appearance in court, with her absence excused on five separate occasions and one appearance conducted via videolink. On Friday, Magistrate Susan Horan approved a request from Yang's solicitor, Michael Korn, to excuse her from the next scheduled hearing on March 31.
Legal Proceedings and Not-Guilty Pleas
During the recent hearing, Mr Korn informed the court that his client would plead not guilty to charges of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and driving with a mid-range prescribed concentration of alcohol. Yang has already entered not-guilty pleas to several other offences, including:
- Refusing or failing to submit to breath analysis
- Dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm – drive manner dangerous
- Failing to give particulars to police
- Negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm
Many of these charges are listed as first offences. The prosecution has requested six weeks to address Yang's additional charges following her recent plea.
Bail Breaches and Mysterious Circumstances
The case has taken several unusual turns, including Yang's admission earlier this month that she breached bail conditions by vacating her Watsons Bay address. Her barrister, Greg Stanton, argued that this breach resulted from a miscommunication rather than any fault on Yang's part.
Under her current bail conditions, Yang must report weekly at Rose Bay police station, located less than two kilometres from the collision scene, every Wednesday between 8am and 8pm. Last week, she arrived at the station approximately twenty minutes before her reporting deadline, attracting attention with an uncharacteristically revealing outfit as she walked down Wunulla Road.
Growing Intrigue and Public Fascination
The proceedings have generated significant public interest, largely due to Yang's apparent substantial wealth and mysterious background. She is frequently photographed wearing designer clothing and has been associated with multiple luxury vehicles, including a Tesla Model X that now transports her around Sydney's inner city, where she is believed to reside in a high-rise apartment.
Chinese social media platforms have been inundated with speculation about Yang's family connections, including unverified suggestions that she may be related to senior Communist Party figures. Among Chinese Australian communities, she has developed an almost celebrity-like profile following the collision with Mr Plassaras's vehicle.
Masked Encounters and Identity Questions
Yang maintains a notably private public persona, rarely appearing without a face mask. She has been photographed maskless only once, while dining at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Circular Quay last September. This tendency has led to peculiar interactions with authorities, including a recent encounter at Glebe police station where an officer insisted she remove her mask for identification purposes before addressing her complaint about safety concerns.
After initially resisting, Yang eventually accompanied the sergeant into the station, produced identification, and departed thirty minutes later without any action being taken. This incident followed a previous bizarre exchange with Daily Mail reporters in January, where a woman claiming not to be LanLan Yang declined to identify herself when questioned about her identity.
The case continues to unfold with considerable public and media attention, with the next court date scheduled for March 31 at Downing Centre Local Court.
