A court has been told of the alleged horrific abuse a former MKR star inflicted on a child, including an alleged attack over a tomato sauce dispute. Photo / Glenn Campbell, NewsWire
A court has been told of the alleged horrific abuse a former MKR star inflicted on a child, including an alleged attack over a tomato sauce dispute. Photo / Glenn Campbell, NewsWire
A My Kitchen Rules star allegedly subjected a child to a torrent of vile abuse – including an occasion where he allegedly dragged and choked her over a dispute about tomato sauce.
Anthony Michael Mu pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and observationsin breach of privacy, at the start of his hearing at Richlands Magistrates Court in Queensland, Australia on Monday.
While listed for a single day, the summary trial was adjourned until October due to scheduling conflicts at the court.
At least four other witnesses are due to give evidence.
Members of Mu’s family and a large group of supporters packed out the courtroom – some at times appearing to make remarks and at from the public gallery as witnesses gave their evidence.
Several turned up wearing badges that read “False allegations destroy lives”.
Mu and his wife, Claudean Uamaki-Mu, both appeared on the Channel 7 reality cooking show in 2023 and were promoted as “married battlers”, “a fiery Italian and a super chill Samoan with hearts of gold”.
The pair have been in and out of court for more than a year on abuse-related allegations, with Uamaki-Mu pleading guilty to six charges of common assault in May.
She walked from court with no convictions recorded, along with a 12-month good behaviour bond and $1000 recognisance.
The pair have been in and out of court for more than a year on abuse-related allegations. Photo / @claudeanandanthony_mkr
On the first day of Mu’s trial, a woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told the court about several assaults she alleged Mu subjected her to years ago.
At the time, she was a child under the age of 18.
One allegedly involved her being beaten with a metal spatula on her hands, arm and knuckles.
On another occasion, the woman said she was allegedly “tackled” through a wall by Mu after she “rolled her eyes” at him and was set upon by Mu during a birthday party before allegedly being pushed down stairs.
At work the next week, the woman said a co-worker noticed one of her bruises.
“She asked if she could take photos of the bruises. I was really scared and nervous and said no,” the woman said.
The woman said that when she was an adult, Mu went to get McDonald’s for dinner.
The court was told the woman “sighed” after Mu said he forgot her tomato sauce for her meal, leading to him getting “irate” and calling her a “disrespectful c***”.
Mu allegedly threw a burger at the back of her head, grabbed her hair and screamed at her to “get the f*** up”.
Mu allegedly threw a burger at the back of the woman's head. Photo / Glenn Campbell, NewsWire
The court was told the woman was too scared to report the alleged abuses to police.
During cross-examination by defence barrister Stephen Kissick, the woman denied she was lying about the alleged assaults for either publicity or financial gain.
Kissick asked if she had been “reminded” about the alleged abuse during conversations with people she was still in touch with.
“No, we didn’t need reminding,” the woman said.
She rejected suggestions that she had been laughing and joking about the allegations before appearing teary and “hyperventilating” when she went to visit the police.
Kissick put to the woman the allegations in her statement were a “complete game” against Mu and Uamaki-Mu, but the woman rejected this.
