- Mistress "gave up" work as escort
- Claims she was promised more than $5million
- Was 'ordered to sleep with ex-bodyguard'
Escort eyes slice of cardboard kingdom
The former lover of billionaire cardboard king Richard Pratt fronts up to court claiming he promised her millions
Madison Ashton pictured arriving at the Supreme Court in Sydney today. Picture: John Grainger
CARDBOARD King Richard Pratt allegedly ordered a mistress to continue sleeping with his former bodyguard amid fears of a possible blackmail plot by the ex-employee who "knew things" the billionaire didn't want to get out, a court has heard.
That is among a string of claims made by former Penthouse Pet Madison Ashton, who is suing the Pratt estate for a slice of his fortune.
As a hearing began in the Supreme Court today, Ms Ashton's barrister revealed the fresh allegations as part of his client's claim to money promised to her by the late billionaire.
Francis Douglas QC told the court Pratt instructed Ms Ashton that she must continue sleeping with his bodyguard Sean Bowman - who she had met during her liaison with the Visy founder - to "keep him happy".
Pratt had told Ms Ashton that Mr Bowman was a former member of the New Zealand special forces who "knew things about him" that he didn't want to get out, the court heard.
Mr Douglas told the court the billionaire didn't trust Bowman, and Pratt told Ms Ashton: "You can best serve me by servicing him."
Bowman allegedly became abusive toward Ms Ashton during their relationship, but she maintained the relationship because Pratt asked her to, Mr Douglas said.
A model and escort, Ms Ashton is seeking a slice of Pratt's estate, suing Pratt's widow Jeanne who is the executrix and major beneficiary of his fortune.
Ms Ashton, who is in the Supreme Court for the first day of the case, claims Pratt "made certain promises" to her, asking her to stop being an escort and become his mistress in 2003.
She says Pratt agreed to pay her an annual retainer of $500,000, buy her a Mercedes Benz worth not less than $100,000, cover her $36,000 annual rent bill and set up trust funds for her children worth $2.5 million each.
However he reneged on the deal, and a previous court hearing has heard that the Pratt family will argue Ms Ashton agreed to "settle all her claims" for $100,000 and the transfer of a car into her name.
It has also been counter-claimed that Ms Ashton promised in a later, 2005, agreement not to contact Pratt or any of his family, and to settle any current or future claims for $50,000.
Ms Ashton has begun giving evidence, denying claims by Pratt estate's counsel Robert Richter QC, that she was broke and addicted to cocaine when she first contacted her former lover about money in 2005.
Earlier, Pratt's longtime mistress, Shari-lea Hitchcock, failed in an attempt to have Ms Ashton's case against the late billionaire held in closed court, despite arguing the case was detrimental to her and the couple's daughter.
Ms Hitchcock, who is not a party to the proceedings, instructed lawyers to this morning claim that "scandalous" allegations have been made about her and if publicly ventilated would be "detrimental" to her daughter with the mogul, Paula.
However Justice Paul Brereton said he felt many of the allegations leveled by Ms Ashton against Ms Hitchcock were "gratuitous in the sense that they have practically nothing to do with the plaintiff's case" against Pratt.
"In my view the proper administration of justice will mot be prejudiced by the absence of a suppression or non-publication order," Justice Brereton said.
He refused the application, with additional assurances from Ms Ashton's barrister that many of the allegations relating to Ms Hitchcock were no longer pressed.
The case continues.
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