source : the age
The wife of alleged domestic violence perpetrator Antony Catalano has filed a second statement of no complaint to Victoria Police in the criminal case against her millionaire husband, rejecting some of the allegations against him and outlining the psychological toll the prosecution has taken on her family.
It comes as Victoria Police has replaced the original prosecutor in the high-profile assault case against Catalano, who is facing criminal charges following an alleged domestic violence incident at the couple’s luxury St Kilda penthouse apartment in March.
Stefanie Catalano’s lawyer, Sarah Pratt, confirmed to this masthead that her client had recently filed the second statement of no complaint, in which the mother of four asks for all charges against her husband to be withdrawn. This follows Stefanie’s first statement of no complaint to police, which was filed in June.
“I am loath to comment on a matter before the court, but I am concerned about how my client has been treated in this process and for her psychological welfare,” Pratt said.
Stefanie Catalano is no longer co-operating with police, and has said she will not provide evidence against her husband if the case proceeds. Her primary focus, she has told police, is on her children and her husband’s continued recovery.
Antony Catalano is facing eight criminal charges in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. Victoria Police allege that in the domestic violence incident, he swung a clothes iron at his wife’s head, unlawfully imprisoned her in their apartment, threatened to stab her to death, and choked or strangled her. Stefanie was admitted to hospital following the incident with a fractured tailbone.
Pratt confirmed that in the latest statement of no complaint, Stefanie says she was not choked by her husband and was not struck with a weapon. The statement includes three psychological reports concerning the family, which offer professional opinions, including that the incident itself has been less damaging to Stefanie than the subsequent police prosecution of the matter.
“The prosecution are now on notice that they are doing more harm to Stefanie than good,” Pratt told this masthead. She said Stefanie had moved with her children at least five times since the March incident to protect the family from intense media scrutiny.
The change of police prosecutor in the case follows an ethical standards complaint also made by Stefanie to the Victoria Police professional standards command at the end of July.
In that complaint, she accused Victoria Police of failing to protect her from public glare as Antony, who has nine children from three marriages, faced the alleged assault charges. Stefanie also argued that Victoria Police should have protected her identity as an alleged victim of violence.
Pratt confirmed that she had made the application to have the police prosecutor removed because she was unhappy with the nature of the prosecutor’s treatment of her client.
The lawyer said Stefanie had been “revictimised” by authorities, and her wishes had been ignored in what she considered to be a private matter.
In a situation such as that unfolding for the Catalanos, an affected family member or complainant cannot withdraw a statement made to police, but they can make a statement of no complaint, which can be done at any stage of a police investigation.
In such a statement, a victim or complainant tells the police they no longer wish to support a criminal investigation or proceed with charges, and essentially withdraws co-operation in criminal proceedings.
In family violence matters, police often proceed with their case regardless of a complainant’s change of heart to ensure victim safety. In the Catalano case, CCTV footage of two common areas adjacent to the couple’s $30 million Melbourne apartment has been seized and is expected to be relied upon by the prosecution.
Antony Catalano, a former journalist-turned-businessman, owns regional and rural digital media empire Australian Community Media in an equal share with billionaire Alex Waislitz. Following the alleged assault, he stood aside as executive chair and installed two of his sons on the company’s board. He also has significant investments and business interests in Byron Bay, where the couple live with their four children.
In June, Catalano’s bail conditions were altered to allow him to visit Byron Bay, with the couple reconciling their marriage. Following the assault, Antony said he was “struggling with significant mental health and substance abuse issues” and entered a Melbourne rehabilitation facility shortly after charges were laid. He has since undertaken a number of programs to regain his health and wellbeing.
The matter is set to return to the court on October 16.
Victoria Police was contacted, but declined to comment because the matter remains before the court.
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