Antony Catalano's wife turns on police prosecuting him over domestic violence allegations

• Antony Catalano is accused of bashing his wife Stefanie 
• Stefanie Catalano is reportedly now refusing to help with his prosecution 

The wife of media executive Antony Catalano is urging authorities to abandon the criminal case against him as the couple attempt to rebuild their relationship. 

Catalano is accused of a drug-induced assault of his wife Stefanie at their St Kilda penthouse on March 13, when he allegedly held a clothes iron to her head and dragged her by her hair. 

On Thursday, reports emerged Stefanie had stopped cooperating with Victoria Police and had lodged a detailed 'statement of no complaint', signalling she no longer wanted the prosecution to proceed.

The move comes as the Catalanos reconcile, with the couple understood to be living together again with their four children in Byron Bay and undertaking counselling.

Daily Mail contacted Stefanie's barrister Rahmin de Kretser for comment, but did not receive a response. 

A Victoria Police spokesperson would only say the charges against Catalano were still proceeding.  

Sources familiar with the matter told the Herald Sun Stefanie did not intend to give evidence if the case proceeded to trial, complicating efforts to prosecute the serious allegations.

Mr Catalano, 59, is charged with assault, threats to kill and false imprisonment over the alleged attack on his wife.

Despite Stefanie's reported position, Victoria Police's specialist advocacy unit, which oversees sensitive and high-profile prosecutions, has so far refused to withdraw the charges.

It has further been suggested Stefanie is in the process of preparing to lodge an ethical standards complaint against Victoria Police over her treatment, The Age reported. 

The couple had previously been separated but reunited earlier this year before the alleged assault.

After the criminal charges and her release from hospital, Stefanie flew back to Byron Bay while her husband said he was struggling with significant mental health and substance abuse issues. 

'I am deeply ashamed and humiliated,' Catalano told the Australian Financial Review in March.

'Those close to me have been urging me to seek professional help for some time and there have been interventions by close family and friends.

'I regret not heeding their advice and I continued to believe I could hide my mental health issues.

'I allowed shame and pride to prevent me from confronting these problems and seeking treatment earlier.'

Last month, a magistrate relaxed Catalano's bail conditions to allow him to leave Melbourne's winter for Byron Bay and see his family. 

Magistrate Stephen Lee warned him: 'There’s two very different scenarios - if you’re unaffected by drugs and alcohol, you can contact them, go near them, and go to the Byron Bay address.

'But conversely, if you’re affected by drugs or alcohol, all bets are off and you can’t do it.'

Under Victorian law, a spouse of an accused person can object to giving evidence. 

With their case reportedly now significantly weakened, police are expected to rely on CCTV footage from inside and outside the apartment to make their case. 

It is understood CCTV from cameras inside the apartment, a foyer area and a corridor captured much of the alleged incident.

The footage allegedly captured Stefanie 'pleading for her life' while being attacked by her husband.

During an initial hearing, Senior Constable Kiran Paramaguru told the court Catalano dragged his wife to a laundry area, grabbed a clothes iron and held it towards her head.

'The accused then threatened the victim, stating: "If you scream one more time, I'll stab you to death",' Sen Const Paramaguru said.

Sen Const Paramaguru said Stefanie grabbed at her husband's underwear during the incident 'with the intent of leaving behind signs of a struggle, which would indicate some sort of evidence for police to investigate'.

A 27-second recording from inside a neighbour's apartment captured screaming and Stefanie saying 'let me go' multiple times, the ABC reported at the time.

The court heard Stefanie eventually managed to flee the apartment.

Catalano was arrested later that day in his torn underwear, 10km away in the suburb of Hampton.

The court heard his wife was hospitalised and suffered a fractured tailbone in the incident.

During legal argument, the court was told Stefanie had made a police complaint against her husband in 2018 when he allegedly punched and headbutted her.

But the case did not proceed due to insufficient evidence.

Catalano is due back in court in October.