Former MKR star Claudean Bernadette Uamaki-Mu pleads guilty to assault of children
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Two former My Kitchen Rules stars who were facing a raft of charges can be identified for the first time, after the woman pleaded guilty to kicking, spitting on and hitting children.
Claudean Bernadette Uamaki-Mu and Anthony Michael Mu could only be named as two Channel 7 personalities during their initial appearances at Richlands Magistrates Court, due to a sweeping non-publication order handed down in 2023.
But the pair – who appeared on the Channel 7 reality cooking show in 2023 – can now be named due to Uamaki-Mu, 54, pleading guilty to six charges of common assault on Wednesday.
She walked free from court with a 12-month good behaviour bond and $1000 recognisance, and no conviction recorded.
Claudean Bernadette Uamaki-Mu pleaded guilty at Richlands Magistrates Court on Wednesday to six common assault charges. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass
The couple were surrounded by family supporters, who pushed past waiting media as they exited court.
Wednesday's proceedings began at 9am but a lengthy delay occurred due to police attempting to amend some of Uamaki-Mu's charges.
After case conferencing which lasted through the lunch break, police prosecutor Sergeant Tom Wirawan said only six common assault charges Uamaki-Mu was facing would proceed to a plea.
Other charges were withdrawn.
Additional chairs were required to accommodate reporters due to family members packing out the courtroom.
Anthony Michael Mu is due to stand trial in Richlands Magistrates Court in May. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass Picture: NewsWire / John Gass
Acting Magistrate Michael Quinn noted some details involved pulling the hair of a child and hitting the child on the back of the head with a hairbrush.
'On another occasion there was spitting on the child,' Mr Quinn said.
'On another, there was a lesser assault of throwing a plastic Tupperware container and hitting the back of the child's head.'
The court was told there was another incident where a child was kicked in the stomach and pulled up by the hair.
'There was another, involving grabbing a child and throwing (the child) into the bedroom wall,' he said.
'Another … involved pulling the child to the ground and poking the child in the face with your finger.'
Mr Quinn called the charges 'extremely serious' and emphasised how the protection of children was paramount.
Uamaki-Mu had no criminal history, the court was told.
Sergeant Wirawan said he would normally ask for a suspended prison term but noted the woman's early plea and that she had avoided complainants needing to give evidence at trial.
He asked for a 'hefty' fine to be issued.
Defence barrister Simon Lewis said his client suffered from depression and anxiety and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The court was told Uamaki-Mu's common assault charges involved her hitting, kicking and 'spitting on' children on diverse dates over, which occurred over various dates over 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2021. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass
She was seeing a medical professional to address her longstanding psychiatric issues, Mr Lewis said, who told the court the behaviour was consistent with 'losses of control'.
Mr Lewis said Uamaki-Mu had endured public shaming due to the offences.
'In my submission, there would seem to be little utility in imposing a fine for something (where) … the majority of offending that happened some ago,' Mr Lewis said.
Magistrate Quinn accepted Uamaki-Mu was remorseful and was receiving ongoing treatment to address her mental health issues.
While Wednesday's proceedings close a chapter in a protracted case that has staggered through the magistrates court for more than a year, it is not the end for both Uamaki-Mu and Mu's court cases.
Uamaki-Mu is still due to stand trial in the District Court on 12 charges, including unlawful assault occasioning actual bodily harm, indecent treatment and rape, following a committal hearing in January.
Mu is also due to stand trial in the Magistrates Court on a later date.
He is facing eight counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (two while in company), two counts of common assault and one count of observations in breach of privacy.
During January's committal hearing, Magistrate Stuart Shearer repeatedly raised concerns with the admissibility of certain statements and noted some relied on 'hearsay'.
Sergeant Wirawan's request to amend some of the 'duplicitous' charges were refused.
'I'm not amending your charges to fix your case,' Mr Shearer said.
He proceeded to dismiss dozens of Uamaki-Mu's charges one by one, variously noting there were 'no particulars' or evidence to support each charge or that it was duplicitous with another charge.
Originally published as Former MKR star Claudean Bernadette Uamaki-Mu pleads guilty to 'kicking', 'hitting', 'spitting on' children
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