Nene King's former housemate testifies

A man accused of ripping off former magazine editor Nene King tried to impress her with his "high-flying ways", a Melbourne court has been told.

Colin Hahne is standing trial accused of fleecing Ms King out of more than $40,000, allegedly withdrawing cash from her accounts and using her bank card to pay for hotel bookings in 2009 without her permission.

He and his then-partner Larry Sutcliffe lived with Ms King rent-free in her Caulfield South home from 2007 to 2009, the County Court of Victoria has heard.

Mr Sutcliffe was asked about the relationship between Ms King, the former editor of both Woman's Day and the Australian Women's Weekly, and Hahne when he took the stand on Wednesday afternoon.

"It was all about impressing Nene I think, for him, with his high-flying ways," he said.

Mr Sutcliffe said Hahne talked about being in an exclusive club at Crown Casino, and mentioned sponsoring Mardi Gras and the "many tens of thousands he used to do that".

He told the court Hahne started dealing with Ms King's finances "pretty soon after moving in", sorting out small things such as her private health claims and helping her to sell shares.

Hahne would usually collect mail from the letterbox and Mr Sutcliffe believed he would open mail addressed to Ms King, he said.

Ms King paid for bills and food, also buying a car for Mr Sutcliffe and a watch for Hahne, Mr Sutcliffe said.

"He hocked it two weeks later," he said.

Mr Sutcliffe never knowingly saw Hahne withdraw money from Ms King's account, he said.

Hahne's defence lawyers say any transactions he carried out were with Ms King's authorisation.

He did not conduct a number of the transactions in question and did not know who was responsible for them, defence barrister Sarah Leighfield has told the court.

She said Ms King's spending was out of control, due to substance abuse, generosity and shopping habits.

Ms King has admitted abusing marijuana after spiralling into depression following the death of her father and husband in 1996.

Hahne has pleaded not guilty to 49 deception-related charges.

The trial continues.