Media mogul Antony Catalano appears in court charged with assaulting wife

Media baron Antony Catalano will be allowed to head overseas after being accused of choking and threatening to kill his wife.

The former chief executive of property portal Domain faced court on Friday in person for the first time since being charged in March.

Barrister Dermot Dann KC said Catalano, 59, was in the process of relocating overseas following “intense media involvement” around his court matter and the family’s desire to reconcile.

A plea deal that demonstrated remorse was also possible, the Melbourne Magistrates Court was told.

The media mogul, whose business portfolio includes a premium Byron Bay retreat and restaurant and the company behind The Canberra Times and Ballarat Courier, faces eight charges after allegedly attacking his wife at their St Kilda property on March 13.

Police alleged Catalano choked his wife Stefanie, held her against her will, assaulted her with a clothing iron and threatened to stab her to death.

Since being bailed that month, he had attended court by video link only before Friday.

He sat in the front row behind his lawyers in a dark navy suit as his wife Stefanie watched the proceedings over the court video link.

She did not want the charges to proceed in “any way, shape or form,” Dann told the court.

Catalano and his wife are “trying to pick up the pieces” together in their family situation, the barrister said.

Allegations of Catalano strangling his wife or swinging an iron at her head were not supported by CCTV, the lawyer told the court.

He suggested the matter could be resolved by either having the charges withdrawn or by a plea.

“We’re exploring a resolution. We want to demonstrate remorse,” the defence said.

Magistrate Donna Bakos approved an additional bail condition requiring Catalano to give the lead detective at least 24 hours’ notice of any plans to change addresses.