Antony Catalano: Court hears alleged details of March 13 attack | The Canberra Times

The ABC has provided further details of police allegations against ACM co-owner Antony Catalano during his bail application last month.

Catalano, ACM’s chief executive, was placed on immediate leave by the company’s board in March after he appeared in court accused of a number of alleged crimes including assault, false imprisonment and making threats to kill.

His arrest followed an incident at a Melbourne flat that left a woman with a broken tailbone and hospitalization.

Catalano, who is due back in court in May, checked himself into rehab and said he was “deeply ashamed and humiliated.”

The ABC reported on Wednesday that the Victoria Magistrates Court had released a recording of the bail hearing for Catalano held on the night of March 13.

In the recording, police allege Stefanie Catalano was subjected to a sustained attack from her husband early that morning before fleeing the couple’s luxury apartment and stopping a passing car for help.

The ABC said Senior Constable Kiran Paramaguru told the court that Catalano, 59, was addicted to drugs and was wearing only underwear when he allegedly attacked his wife at around 12.30am on March 13.

In the recording, Senior Police Constable Paramaguru told the court that the couple had been out for dinner the previous evening and returned home separately.

ABC said the officer claimed Catalano began yelling at his wife about the welfare check that other family members had requested days earlier.

“The victim was already in bed when the accused approached him in a severely drug-affected state and started shouting at the victim on matters that were none of his business,” said Senior Constable Paramaguru.

“The defendant then demanded the victim’s phone and escalated this unprovoked attack by physically grabbing the victim.

“The defendant then began dragging the victim by her hair and ankles through various rooms and corridors of the large apartment complex where they lived.”

Police allege Catalano dragged his wife into the laundromat, grabbed a clothes iron and held it up to her head, ABC said.

Ms. Catalano, who police said screamed for help, briefly fled the apartment but was allegedly dragged inside by her hair while waiting for the elevator.

“The accused then threatened the victim, saying ‘If you scream one more time, I will stab you to death,'” Senior Constable Paramaguru told the court, ABC reported. he said.

“The victim was in so much fear that she believed she was dying and had no other option so instead of stopping her screams, she continued to scream.”

Senior Constable Paramaguru told the court that Mrs Catalano grabbed her husband’s underwear during the incident “with the intention of leaving a trace of struggle behind, which would constitute some form of evidence for the police to investigate”.

Police obtained CCTV from cameras inside the flat, in the entrance area and hallway, ABC reported.

Senior Constable Paramaguru told the court, claiming the footage showed Mrs Catalano “begging for her life” while being attacked by her “pretty angry” husband.

“[He] “The officer can then see him reach over the victim, who was lying on the ground, grab a tire iron and swing it at him with considerable force,” he said.

“He uses all his strength to fight the defendant for custody of this clothes iron because he fears it could be used against him to kill him.”

Neighbors who heard screams from the flat informed the police. The incident lasted about an hour.

The ABC said the court heard screams and Ms Catalano saying “let me up” multiple times in the 27-second recording from a neighboring flat.

Senior Constable Paramaguru said Ms Catalano eventually managed to escape from the flat.

“The victim ran onto the roadway and screamed at the first vehicle passing by, demanding to be removed from the area in great distress,” the officer said, according to ABC’s recording of the bail court hearing.

Police were initially unable to locate Catalano, but arrested him later that day in a nearby suburb with underwear allegedly torn during the attack.

He appeared in court via video link later that night.

The bail court heard Stefanie Catalano was taken to hospital and suffered a broken tailbone.

The ABC said Catalano’s defense lawyer, Jason Gullaci SC, told the hearing on March 13 that there were “triable issues” about how the incident at the apartment began and “whether the complainant was an active participant in the incident”.

“On the face of it, the outcome doesn’t look good,” he said.

During the legal argument, the court heard that Ms Catalano had filed a police complaint with her husband in 2018, alleging he punched and headbutted her, but the case did not proceed due to lack of evidence.

“No matter how you cut it, he has not been charged with any crime related to the incident in 2018,” Mr. Güllacı said.

Police argued to the court that Catalano should be kept in custody, but Judge Rohan Lawrence granted him bail due to his lack of prior convictions and potential legal delays.

The ABC said Judge Lawrence described the alleged crime as “serious” and that Catalano could face prison time if convicted on all charges.

“This is about Mr. Catalano’s alleged violence against Ms. Catalano,” he said. “It lasted a long time and it also occurred at his home.”

Catalano is expected to appear in court again on May 11. He has not yet entered a defense to the charges.

ACM’s board of directors and executive leadership team said the allegations against Catalano would be determined by the court, but that “violence against women is completely contrary to the values ​​of our company and our imprint.”

“ACM’s bylines have a long and proud history of upholding the values ​​of the audiences they represent. They are a trusted voice in keeping our communities strong, informed and connected. That won’t change.”

ACM is the publisher of this imprint.