Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
A former My Kitchen Rules star has walked free from court, flocked by supporters, after pleading guilty to inflicting cruel acts on young girls.
Claudean Bernadette Uamaki-Mu stood before a Brisbane District Court room overflowing with her supporters on Monday, pleading guilty to two counts of cruelty to a child under 16.
The charges represented a fresh indictment after 21 serious sexual and assault offences were dropped – ending an intense three-year legal battle.
“It involved delicate consideration and negotiation between the parties,” Crown prosecutor Luke Smoothy explained.
Uamaki-Mu and her husband Anthony Mu appeared on the Channel 7 reality cooking show My Kitchen Rules in 2023.
The court was told Uamaki-Mu, who worked as a carer, cook and school chaplain before her charges were laid, targeted two young girls with incessant cruelty, including violent physical acts in the early 2000s.
Uamaki-Mu would “quickly resort to physical acts” with each girl, including striking them with small objects, pulling at their hair, punching and kicking them on occasion, and commenting on their bodies.
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One young victim was struck with a cane while her back was turned.
“I can never truly capture in words how I have been impacted by this behaviour,” the woman told the court in a victim impact statement.
The woman said Uamaki-Mu made her feel “more worthless than dirt”.
The reality star’s second victim spoke of how Uamaki-Mu’s abuse led her to attempt to take her own life as a child.
“I hated myself, I believed I was the issue,” she said.
“Some mornings I wake up in tears because I’m still alive.”
Both women experienced ongoing and severe mental health issues – including eating disorders, insomnia, and complex PTSD as a result of Uamaki-Mu’s cruelty.
The court was told the reality star also had a history of assault, pleading guilty in 2025 to six counts of common assault which involved spitting on, kicking and beating various children.
Defence barrister Simon Lewis told the court the reality star’s actions were learned behaviours from a “dysfunctional” childhood.
“Sadly a lot of the behaviour to which my client has accepted … mirrors the behaviour she received,” Mr Lewis said.
Mr Lewis said Uamaki-Mu was likely “not coping” with personal stresses, such as the loss of her first husband some years earlier, adding she continued to suffer from a variety of mental health issues.
He presented a collection of glowing references to the court which labelled Uamaki-Mu a woman with “strong family values” who had help “support children from all walks of life”.
Chief Judge Brian Devereaux SC condemned Uamaki-Mu for her actions.
“Some of the material entered on your behalf shows you to be helpful and kind to other people … what is appalling is that you treated them the way you did,” he said.
“There is no escaping you’ve left a trail of misery.
“It’s clear … they (were) in a state of terror.”
He ordered the reality TV cook serve two years’ imprisonment, granting immediate parole.
Upon leaving the courthouse, Uamaki-Mu’s husband told reporters the proceedings were “all lies and bulls**t”.
Bravehearts victim advocate Hetty Johnston said the process had been “a lot” for the two women.
“They are happy with the outcome … we are just really proud of them and their strength and their courage,” she said.
“Today is the first day of the rest of their lives.”
