Disgraced former Australian cricketer Michael Slater has proposed moving to another state to seek rehabilitation treatment as he faces a string of domestic violence-related offences, a court has been told.
Slater, a former Test cricketer and commentator, is accused of assaulting and strangling a woman during the alleged violent rant, which lasted several months, as well as allegedly bombarding her with hundreds of abusive and degrading messages.
He has been in pre-trial detention since his arrest in April this year.
During a bail application on Tuesday, Slater’s legal team said the 54-year-old had secured a place at a residential rehabilitation clinic in New South Wales.
Attorney Greg McGuire said his client would “completely leave the state” to seek treatment if granted bail, noting there would also be alcohol restrictions and orders not to contact the complainant.
The Brisbane Supreme Court has been told a potential criminal trial may not be held until 2025.
“There is a very real danger that he (Mr Slater) will have spent too much time in custody by the time the matter is resolved,” McGuire said.
‘The proposed conditions are that he goes to the clinic in Sydney until they are sure he is fit to leave.’
Disgraced former Australian cricketer Michael Slater has proposed moving from Brisbane to Sydney for rehabilitation treatment as he faces a string of domestic violence-related offences, a court has heard.
Slater’s fall from grace has saddened fans of the sport in recent years (pictured after scoring a century against England in the 1999 Ashes series)
Slater would live with his sister in regional New South Wales once this happened, McGuire added.
He said Slater was in the grip of a “terrible alcohol addiction” at the time of the alleged offence.
“He has now faced the consequences of his behaviour… he has spent 4.5 months in custody,” McGuire said.
Slater faces more than a dozen charges, including breaking and entering at night, strangulation, assault causing bodily harm, stalking and jumping bail.
All of them are presumed to have occurred between December 5, 2023, and April 12 of this year.
Police allege Slater sent hundreds of messages to the woman in which he called her a “c**h,” “escort,” “liar” and “slut” multiple times and threatened to take his own life.
Slater is further alleged to have accessed the woman’s CCTV camera on the front porch of her home on March 17, turning it to face inside her home.
The woman was allegedly alerted via an app on her phone while speaking to officers at Noosa Police Station.
Slater’s bail application was rejected by Supreme Court Judge Paul Freeburn in Brisbane on Tuesday.
Slater is also alleged to have broken a window to gain access to the woman’s home and assaulted her by grabbing her arm.
He is also believed to have strangled her on two separate occasions.
Ultimately, Supreme Court Judge Paul Freeburn denied bail, noting that Slater had a history of domestic violence.
“The alleged crimes are supported by some evidence and are sustained and persistent,” he said.
“The risk of further crime cannot be ignored.”
Judge Freeburn said Slater had a long history of mental health problems and had been diagnosed with ADHD, major depressive disorder, insomnia, alcohol use disorder and borderline personality disorder.
The court was told Slater had previous convictions for offences including obstructing police, common assault and stalking.
Slater had not been “restrained” by previous court-imposed protection orders, Judge Freeburn said.
“It’s difficult to have confidence or a modest degree of confidence that he will comply with any bail conditions… even from Sydney,” he said.
Slater is due back in court in September.
