Anthony Mu trial: My Kitchen Rules star faces assault allegations
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 observations
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Anthony Mu trial: My Kitchen Rules star faces assault allegations
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 observations
NZ Herald
12-06-2025
- NZ Herald
Erin Patterson murder trial: Mushroom cook grilled in Australian court on sixth beef wellington dish
Patterson disputed a suggestion by Rogers that the sixth was for her husband, Simon, if he changed his mind and attended. 'I didn't make that sixth one for Simon,' she said. 'It's just an extra one. Simon wasn't coming.' Erin Patterson said her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was not expected at the lunch. Photo / NewsWire Mandy took Patterson to her Woolworths rewards data, which the barrister said showed the purchase of five twin packs of beef eye fillet steaks. 'I had five twin packs, I put two in the freezer, and I had six to make,' Patterson said. 'So I did that.' She said she had enough ingredients to prepare a sixth dish, so she did, thinking she could eat it another day. Simon Patterson's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and aunt, Heather Wilkinson, died after eating a meal at Erin Patterson's home on July 29, 2023, in the country Victorian town of Leongatha. Wilkinson's husband, Ian Wilkinson, survived after spending about a month and a half in hospital. Prosecutors allege Patterson deliberately poisoned the guests with death cap mushrooms, while her defence argues it was a tragic accident. Jury sent home for the day Jurors have been sent home for the day after they were told they'd reached the end of the evidence they would hear. Shortly before 1pm, after Mandy completed his re-examination of Patterson, the jury was told the defence had now closed its case. 'Ladies and gentlemen, that's the completion of the evidence in this case,' Justice Christopher Beale said. Justice Beale told jurors he was now required to have discussions with the two parties in their absence, 'and they could take a while'. He sent the jury home for the day, suggesting they might not be required to attend court on Friday. 'If you can just check your phone this evening, we will let you know if you get a long weekend or to come in tomorrow,' Justice Beale said. Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers and Detective Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall are involved in the ongoing mushroom trial. Photo / Getty Images Defence clarifies Patterson's evidence Mandy took Patterson to evidence she'd given last week that she had a pre-surgery appointment booked at the Enrich Clinic in Melbourne for September 2023. She told the jury she had decided to get gastric bypass surgery, and this was the medical issue she'd mentioned in messages to her husband before the fatal lunch. On Tuesday, Rogers produced evidence that the clinic had never offered gastric bypass surgery. Mandy produced a screenshot of a message on the Enrich Clinic's website saying it would 'no longer' be offering liposuction as of June 2024. Patterson told the court that she had not had an appointment and believed they'd 'offered a full range of weight-loss surgery'. 'I was obviously mistaken,' she said. Prosecution asks three final questions Shortly after 11.30am, Rogers remarked that the jury would be pleased that she had three final questions for Patterson after a week of cross-examination. Rogers suggested that Patterson deliberately sourced death cap mushrooms, deliberately included them in the beef wellington and did so intending to kill her four guests. Patterson responded 'disagree' three times to each of the propositions. 'Your Honour, I have no further questions,' Rogers said. Mandy rose to his feet, telling the court that he had about 30 minutes of re-examination for Patterson before asking for a half-hour break. The jury then took a mid-morning break. Erin Patterson's defence team worked to clarify her evidence about booking in at a clinic. Photo / Getty Images Erin disputes children's account of leftovers In her evidence, Patterson said she scraped off the mushrooms and pastry of the lunch leftovers for her son and daughter and served herself a bowl of cereal because she wasn't feeling well. In her children's evidence, both said Patterson had plated herself up some leftovers too. Her daughter said Patterson 'wasn't very hungry' and her son ate his portion and the remainder of his mother's. Asked if her son and daughter were 'wrong about what you prepared yourself for dinner that night', Patterson agreed. Alleged poisoner grilled on bush poo claim Rogers took Patterson to evidence she gave last week about stopping to defacate on the side of the road, because of diarrhoea, while driving her son to a flying lesson in Tyabb. Earlier in the trial, the jury was told Patterson drove her two children an hour and a half to Tyabb for the lesson on the afternoon of July 30, 2023, but it was cancelled shortly before they arrived and she turned around. Patterson claimed she was suffering nausea and regular diarrhoea that day and stopped 30 minutes into the trip. Rogers took Patterson to her son's evidence, where he said that at no stage did his mother stop to use the toilet. 'I suggest he did not recall it because it did not happen?' Rogers asked. 'Disagree,' Patterson replied. 'This is another lie you told to explain how you managed the trip to Tyabb?' the prosecutor continued. 'Disagree,' Patterson said. Mushroom cook denies 'wild goose chase' claim Facing questions from Rogers on Wednesday, Patterson denied she led health authorities on a 'wild goose chase' as they probed the mushroom poisoning of her four lunch guests. Giving evidence last week, Patterson maintained that she used dried mushrooms in the deadly lunch that she had bought from an Asian grocer in Melbourne's east in about April 2023. She told the court she initially planned to use them in a pasta dish but decided they would be too overpowering and stored them in a Tupperware container in her pantry. She said she now believed she may have added foraged wild mushrooms to that container. Facing questions from Rogers on Wednesday, Patterson was asked if she was worried about them being too strong for the beef wellington. 'No, I didn't think that. I thought it was the perfect dish for them,' she responded. Rogers went on to probe the exchange Patterson had with Department of Health officer Sally Ann Atkinson about the Asian grocer. Atkinson gave evidence that she communicated with Patterson over several days in earlier August amid a public health probe into the poisoning. Text messages and calls between the pair showed Atkinson attempting to narrow down the location of the store. Rogers suggested Patterson was 'very familiar' with the area, owning a home in Mt Waverley and having previously worked for the Monash City Council. Patterson disputed this but did say she was familiar with the adjoining areas of Glen Waverley, Oakleigh and Clayton. Rogers suggested Patterson was 'deliberately vague' about the location of the Asian grocer because it was a lie. 'Incorrect,' Patterson responded. 'I was doing my best to remember when it happened, but I think I was clear at all times that I didn't have a memory of the actual purchase.' The trial, now in its seventh week, continues.
NZ Herald
14-05-2025
- NZ Herald
'Move on': Family's emotional plea after cyclist's sentencing
'How we do this in a meaningful way and relevant way will take time. 'With respect to Rohan, as hard as it is going to be, it is important that we also have a well-mannered relationship with him. '[Our grandchildren] deserve this; they have done nothing wrong. We would like to thank everybody for their support of us.' Dennis has avoided spending any time behind bars for driving recklessly before the death of Melissa Hoskins. Dennis stood in the dock at the South Australian District Court on Wednesday morning as Judge Ian Press delivered his sentence. Dennis was sentenced to one year and four months' jail, to be wholly suspended, and was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond. He was disqualified from driving for five years. Judge Press stressed Dennis was being held responsible not for Ms Hoskins' death, but for his actions leading up to the tragic event. 'To describe the consequences of the events of December 30, 2023, as tragic, really does not do justice to the grief, the anguish and the turmoil those events have brought into the lives of those who knew and loved your wife Melissa,' Judge Press said. Rohan Dennis' sentencing ends an 18-month legal process that attracted much media attention. Photo / NewsWire, Brenton Edwards 'I accept you have a sense of responsibility for all that occurred. I accept you have anguished over what could have been different if you had acted in some other way … you are not charged with being criminally responsible for all of the events of that night and in particular you are not charged with causing the death of your wife.' Peter Hoskins said the family had not sought prison time for Dennis. 'We've got to remember there are two people caught up in this tragedy, and there are young children caught up in this tragedy, who have lost their mum,' he said. 'For them to go and lose their dad, albeit a temporary loss, I don't think that would be ideal at all. 'From the outset, it wasn't something that we were pursuing. The health and well-being of [our grandchildren] have been front of mind for us right from the word go. That remains the case.' Dennis' suspended sentence means he will return home and continue to care for the two children, and brings to a close a dramatic 18-month legal process. A blow-up over a kitchen renovation sparked the tragedy, with Dennis and Hoskins arguing over costs at their leafy Medindie home in Adelaide's inner north. Dennis left to get away from the exchange and took the family's Volkswagen Amarok from the garage, driving off into the night. But Hoskins did not want him to leave, and in tragic scenes, she jumped on to the bonnet of the car as Dennis drove down Medindie Lane, behind their home, going about 20km/h. When Dennis pulled into Avenel Gardens Rd, Hoskins dismounted the bonnet and grabbed at the driver's side door. As Dennis accelerated away from the intersection, Hoskins held on to the driver's side door handle, states the prosecution's factual summary, tendered to the court and seen by NewsWire. She tripped and was dragged under the vehicle as Dennis drove down Avenel Gardens Rd. When Dennis heard a 'thump', he stopped the car and ran to help her. Hoskins suffered critical injuries and later died at Royal Adelaide Hospital. The breakdown happened in seconds. CCTV footage recorded Hoskins on the bonnet of the car for about six seconds. The time between Hoskins dismounting the vehicle and Dennis closing the driver's side door and accelerating away from her was three seconds, the factual summary states, and the time between Dennis closing the door and Hoskins falling under the wheel was about two seconds. Rohan Dennis and Melissa Hoskins were both world-class athletes. Photo / Dennis was punished for continuing to drive while Hoskins was on the bonnet, which Judge Press slammed as 'an inherently risky and dangerous act', and for the act of accelerating at the intersection to get away from Hoskins. Judge Press said he had suspended the sentence because of Dennis' guilty plea, his remorse, his personal circumstances and the circumstances of the offending, and his role as the sole carer of his children. Dennis, 34, has no prior criminal history. In a police interview, recorded just hours after the crash, Dennis said his wife was still alive and struggling to breathe after the accident. 'I rolled her on to her side 'cos she seemed to be choking on something and I thought it might have been blood, and it was,' Dennis said. 'And then they gave – the neighbours – they just gave me sort of a, a rug to sort of hold her head. 'I was holding that to try and stop any sort of bleeding. And just talking to her the whole time to try keep her awake.' Hoskins' death sent shockwaves through Australia's sporting community. She competed in the London and Rio Olympics in track cycling, only just missing out on a medal in London after finishing fourth in the 3000m team pursuit category. In Rio, she finished fifth in the 4000m team pursuit. Dennis snatched a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. In April, Hoskins' family confronted Dennis in court as he sat in the dock, relaying their pain and grief in an emotional hearing. Peter broke down when he spoke about the impact the tragic event would have on the couple's two children, whom he called the family's 'silent grievers'. 'The silent grievers, too young to realise the present and future impact of their mother's loss on their lives,' he said. Sister Jessica said the family had not received an apology from Dennis for his actions. 'No remorse has been shown,' she said. Peter said an 'apology and some sort of explanation' from Dennis would help his family with their grieving process. Amanda said she believed the event was a 'tragic accident'. 'I know that you would never intentionally hurt her,' she said. Jane Abbey, KC, for Dennis, said her client was 'in love' with Hoskins at the time of her death. 'He loved her as his best friend, as his partner and as the mother to his children,' she said. Dennis has admitted to driving a motor vehicle without lawful excuse while Hoskins was on or in proximity to the vehicle, knowing that act was likely to cause harm to another and being recklessly indifferent to whether such harm was caused. –
