Media executive Antony Catalano has denied swinging a clothes iron at his wife as he made a renewed legal bid to resolve domestic violence assault charges through a plea agreement.
Catalano, 59, is accused of assaulting his wife, Stefanie, while affected by drugs at the couple’s Melbourne penthouse in St Kilda on March 13. Police allege he held an iron against her head and dragged her by the hair.
Ms Catalano has since stopped cooperating with Victoria Police and submitted a detailed statement of no complaint, indicating that she no longer wants the prosecution to continue.
During a hearing at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday, her lawyer, Sarah Pratt, said she was communicating with the Office of Public Prosecutions on Ms Catalano’s behalf.
In addition to filing the statement of no complaint, Ms Catalano has lodged a complaint with police ethical standards about how she says she has been treated in the months since her husband’s arrest. She alleges authorities were attempting to “destroy” him.
Catalano made no comment as he appeared in court in person for the first time, having previously attended hearings via videolink.
He is now represented by prominent Melbourne barrister Dermot Dann, KC, who successfully appealed the conviction of alleged killer Greg Lynn.
Police allege Catalano swung a clothes iron at his wife’s head, unlawfully confined her inside their St Kilda apartment, threatened to stab her to death and choked or strangled her.
Dermot Dann, KC, left, and Antony Catalano, centre, arrive at court on Friday
Ms Catalano was taken to hospital with a fractured tailbone.
CCTV from shared areas near the Catalanos’ apartment forms part of the police case. Ms Catalano also gave police a statement soon after the alleged incident.
Mr Dann told the court the CCTV might ultimately be ruled inadmissible if the case proceeds to trial.
“There are charges that we have grave difficulty with. There’s an allegation of strangling that we say, on a simple viewing of the CCTV, demonstrates it never happened,” he said.
“There’s an allegation that’s been widely reported of swinging an iron at his wife’s head. We say the same thing: look at the CCTV; it didn’t happen.”
Mr Dann described the case as “unusually delicate” and warned the court he planned to make a range of applications if the matter proceeded in the way proposed by the prosecution.
“From our client’s point of view, he certainly wants to avoid the drama and time associated with all that,” he said.
Mr Dann said there were two possible ways to avoid a trial: “withdraw the charges or explore a plea”.
Catalano and his wife, Stefanie, have apparently reconciled since the alleged incident
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The couple hope to travel overseas to escape the media spotlight
“He hasn’t shut the door to that either,” Mr Dann said.
‘We have been in discussions with my learned friend. We’ve even nominated a charge, which we say will suitably resolve the matter.’
The prosecution of Catalano has been handed to barrister Jane Warren, who was central in leading the case against mushroom killer Erin Patterson.
Ms Warren told the court she was in ‘meaningful discussions’ with Mr Dann, but she needed more time to come to a position.
The court heard Catalano had since reconciled with his wife and moved back into the family home in Byron Bay.
On Friday, The Age reported Catalano had received planning approval to expand his family’s Byron Bay compound and build a third home in the Wategos Bay enclave, creating an estate worth more than $67million.
Mr Dann asked for Catalano’s bail restrictions to be softened further to allow him to travel overseas with his family to avoid ongoing media scrutiny.
Ms Catalano is reportedly already overseas and tuned into Friday’s hearing remotely.
The St Kilda apartment complex where the alleged assault took place
Magistrate Donna Bakos agreed to the change, allowing Catalano to travel overseas.
Catalano’s bail was extended to December 14 when he is expected back in court.
After the criminal charges Catalano said he was struggling with significant mental health and substance abuse issues.
‘I am deeply ashamed and humiliated,’ Catalano told the Australian Financial Review in March.
‘Those close to me have been urging me to seek professional help for some time and there have been interventions by close family and friends.
‘I regret not heeding their advice and I continued to believe I could hide my mental health issues.
‘I allowed shame and pride to prevent me from confronting these problems and seeking treatment earlier.’
READ MORE: Insiders spill on Antony Catalano’s France-Soir dinner with another woman before his alleged drug-fuelled assault on wife Stefanie ‘while demanding to see her phone’
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