Trial over former Aus mag editor's money

Former Australian magazine editor Nene King was fleeced by a friend after the man moved in and began helping with her daily affairs, a court has been told.

Colin Hahne is standing trial in the County Court of Victoria, accused of withdrawing thousands from Ms King's accounts and using her bank card to pay for hotel bookings on various dates in 2009.

Ms King worked in the magazine industry from the early 1980s, becoming editor of both Woman's Day and the Australian Women's Weekly.

Prosecutors say she began abusing drugs and developed depression after suffering personal setbacks, including the death of her husband and father in 1996.

Ms King met Hahne in 2007 after he began a relationship with Ms King's housemate, Larry Sutcliffe, the court heard.

The three eventually lived together in Ms King's Caulfield South home, and prosecutors say she began to rely on the pair to pay bills and run the household.

Prosecutor Damien Hannan said Ms King told Hahne and Mr Sutcliffe to use her accounts to pay bills or to withdraw cash for household expenses on specific dates, but did not allow them to use her cards as they pleased.

Hahne allegedly used Ms King's card to withdraw up to $2000 cash at a time on some occasions, the court was told.

Hahne is also accused of using more than $9000 to pay for private health cover, allegedly later requesting a refund of the money to his personal account.

The various charges against him total more than $40,000.

Defence barrister Sarah Leighfield said Ms King offered to pay for the health cover, and she was repaid after the money was transferred to Hahne's account.

Any transactions Hahne carried out were with Ms King's authorisation, she said.

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

Ms King's spending was out of control, she said on Thursday.

"Way more than she envisioned she was going through," she said.

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

The trial continues.