- Slater, 54, has been in custody for a month
- He has denied all accusations against him.
- Star suffered a legal setback in court on Friday
Lawyers for disgraced former Test cricketer Michael Slater have withdrawn from his court case just weeks after he was charged with a series of domestic violence-related offences.
Mr Slater’s matter was briefly mentioned before Maroochydore Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where it was adjourned for a further four weeks.
The court was told his legal team, who were unable to attend the proceedings, were seeking permission to withdraw, which was granted by Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin.
A city agent representing Mr. Slater’s attorney said the material could be mailed to his new attorney “in the future.”
Slater spent the last month in custody on a series of charges, including knowingly entering a house at night, suffocation, assault resulting in bodily injury, stalking and breaching bail.
Slater (pictured at a previous court appearance in Noosa) remains behind bars on remand after collapsing in court in April.
The Test batsman turned TV star (pictured working for Channel Nine during a match in 2013) faces a long list of charges relating to domestic violence.
They include an alleged barrage of more than 300 abusive text messages, 203 of which were allegedly sent over the course of 24 hours from March 11 to 12 this year.
Maroochydore Magistrates Court previously heard that Slater denies any allegations of violence against the complainant.
The former cricket legend collapsed in court in April after learning his bail application had been rejected.
During Friday’s mention, Magistrate McLaughlin expressed surprise that the police had already prepared a brief of evidence.
“He (Mr Slater) was charged on April 13,” he said.
“That has to be a record.”
The magistrate who heard the mention of Slater’s case on Friday was shocked by a news story about the prosecution’s case.
The matter was adjourned to June 28 for further mention of engagement.
Mr. Slater remains in protective custody.
All of his charges are linked to events that allegedly occurred between December 5, 2023 and April 12 of this year.
Police allege in court documents that Mr Slater sent the woman hundreds of abusive text messages, calling her a ‘c**t’, an ‘escort’, a ‘liar’ and a ‘slut’ while threatening to take his own life.
Others, on different dates, included statements such as: ‘It’s okay, I’m going to see you’; ‘You’re going to hurt me, aren’t you?’ and what have you done?’.
It is further alleged that Mr Slater accessed the woman’s CCTV camera on the front porch of her home on March 17 and turned it to face her home.
This is alleged to have occurred while the woman was giving a statement to officers at Noosa Police Station, where she was alerted to the act via an app on her phone.
Mr. Slater’s break-and-enter charge relates to allegations that he broke into the plaintiff’s home on April 12, breaking a window and repeatedly yelling “fuck you” and “where’s your daughter.”
Slater (pictured outside court during a previous appearance) is charged with assault causing bodily harm, stalking and breaching bail, among other alleged crimes.
The charge of suffocation and assault occasioning bodily harm related to allegations he punched the woman at her Noosa Heads home on an earlier date after she attended concerned for his welfare.
Police allege Slater then strangled her in the laundry room as she tried to escape.
It is further alleged that he threatened to kill her while wielding an empty vodka bottle.
Throughout his cricket career, Slater scored 5,312 runs, played 74 Test matches and 42 one-day internationals for Australia between 1993 and 2001.
Slater then moved into commentary on Channel 7 and Channel 9 after retiring from cricket.
