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A former reality television star who appeared on a popular cooking show allegedly dragged a complainant by the hair down a hallway, and then choked her against a wall, after a dispute involving tomato sauce.
Anthony Mu appeared on Channel 7 reality show My Kitchen Rules in 2023 alongside his partner Claudean Uamaki-Mu, and is facing several charges, including assault occasioning bodily harm and common assault.
His barrister on Monday indicated Mu would plead not guilty to the charges.
The identities of the couple were previously suppressed by a non-publication order.
Uamaki-Mu, who was present in court to support Mu, was committed to stand trial in the District Court earlier this year on several separate charges including rape.
The identities of the Queensland couple, who were promoted by the Channel 7 network as a “fiery Italian and a super-chill Samoan with hearts of gold”, were suppressed by a non-publication order as it progressed through the courts. The order was lifted earlier this year.
Husband and wife Claudean Uamaki-Mu and Anthony Mu were contestants on Channel Seven’s My Kitchen Rules.
In the Richlands Magistrates Court on Monday, a complainant claimed there were several incidents she experienced with Mu.
She said in one incident, which was sparked during a dinner and involving tomato sauce, Mu became irate and threw a burger at the back of her head.
She told the court he got up and grabbed her by the hair, screaming at her to “get the f--- up”.
She said she could not stand because he had the back of her hair firmly in his hand, and she slipped and fell to the floor.
Mu then dragged her down the hallway for several metres, before again pulling her up to her feet by the hair, the court heard.
“He was right in my face,” she said.
The woman told the court Mu then choked her against the wall.
At times throughout the court hearing, Mu could be seen sitting behind his barrister and shaking his head. At other times he was smiling and turning to supporters in the back of the room.
At one stage, prosecutor Tom Wirawan told Magistrate Michael Quinn that Mu was scoffing, and making witnesses uncomfortable. Several supporters regularly remarked during the evidence, prompting Quinn to urge the court to be respectful.
In her evidence, the complainant told the court in another incident she was tackled through a wall by Mu, and in another Mu had kicked her in the stomach, before pushing her down the stairs.
The complainant told the court she later told a coworker, and they took photos of her bruises.
She told the court she was fearful for her life, and as such never formally reported the incidents.
Under cross-examination by Mu’s barrister, Steve Kissick, the complainant denied questions that she had made the allegations up.
The case continued on Monday afternoon.
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