Antony Catalano, co-owner of ACM – the company that publishes The Canberra Times – appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday, October 16, for the first time since his arrest in March. He faces charges including intentionally choking, strangling or suffocating a woman recklessly causing injury, assault, false imprisonment and making threats to kill.
Catalano's barrister, Dermot Dann KC, described the matter as an "unusual and delicate" legal and family situation. He asked for more time as negotiations with the prosecution continued, and said there were questions about whether some charges should be withdrawn.
Mr Dann specifically addressed an allegation involving an iron, which he said was not captured on CCTV footage. "It didn't happen," he told the court. He said Catalano and his family were trying to "pick up the pieces" and that his wife, Stefanie Catalano, who watched proceedings remotely, did not support the charges going ahead.
Catalano made no comment as he arrived or left the court, where he was surrounded by reporters and camera operators. At a previous hearing, he had indicated he intended to challenge some or all of the charges.
Catalano is a former high-profile Fairfax Media executive and co-owns ACM, which publishes regional newspapers across Australia.