Antony Catalano fronts court in person for first time since alleged attack

Media owner Antony Catalano has appeared in court in person for the first time while facing violence charges.

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Antony Catalano, centre, arrives at Melbourne Magistrates Court. Picture by Darren Howe

Catalano co-owns ACM, publisher of this masthead, and is a former high-profile Fairfax Media executive.

He faced a Melbourne magistrate on Friday, October 16, on charges including intentionally choking, strangling or suffocating a woman recklessly causing injury, assault, false imprisonment and making threats to kill.

At a previous hearing, he indicated he intended to challenge some or all of the charges laid against him.

It was the first time since his arrest in March that he had not appeared via video link. He passed a scrum of cameras without comment.

Catalano's defence lawyer, Tony Hargreaves, previously argued the intense media interest in his client's case could harm his mental health, prompting the magistrate to give him special permission to appear via video link to avoid the media frenzy outside the Melbourne courts.

His alleged victim, Stefanie Catalano, watched proceedings remotely.

Journalists, including from ACM, which he has co-owned since 2019, waited inside the courtroom for Catalano to appear.

Antony Catalano, centre, enters the Melbourne Magistrates Court on October 16. Picture by Darren Howe

He took a seat directly in front of many of the journalists sitting in the court.

His barrister, Dermot Dann, KC, asked for more time as negotiations continued with the prosecution.

"I must say it is an unusual and delicate legal and family situation, we are in," he said.

Mr Dann said Catalano and his family were trying to "pick up the pieces" and Ms Catalano did not support charges going ahead.

He said there were a number of complex legal issues still to resolve, and there were questions about whether some charges should be withdrawn.

That included allegations that Catalano strangled his wife, and what the lawyer described as "widely reported" allegations about an iron, which he said were not captured on CCTV footage.

"It didn't happen," Mr Dann said.

Catalano was arrested on March 13, wearing only his underwear, after reportedly fleeing his St Kilda apartment where he allegedly attacked the woman hours earlier.

The alleged assault, which police said was unprovoked and continued for about one hour, left the woman in hospital with a fractured tailbone.

The court previously heard the woman was "pleading" for her life during the alleged attack, after 12.30am on March 13.

Catalano allegedly dragged her around the apartment by her hair and ankles, and threatened to stab her if she screamed.

The matter was adjourned to December.

Support is available for those who may be distressed. Contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, Lifeline on 13 11 14, MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78, and in an emergency, always call 000.

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