Michael Slater pleads guilty to stalking, domestic violence assaults, burglary
Former Australian cricket star Michael Slater has been released from jail on a suspended sentence after admitting to stalking, strangling and assaulting a woman during an alcohol fuelled spiral.
Sunshine Coast
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Former Australian test cricket star Michael Slater has been handed a four-year suspended jail sentence for a spate of domestic violence offences on the Sunshine Coast.
It is the most recent blow in the former star’s “tragic fall from grace” after he spent more than a year behind bars on the charges, most of which was spent in isolation due to his notoriety.
The troubled sports star and former commentator, who played 74 test matches and 42 one day internationals for Australia in the 1990s and 2000s, spent 12 sobering months behind bars following his disturbing attacks on a woman he was previously intimately involved with at Noosa in 2023.
His lawyer described Slater “feeling like a failure” after the breakdown of his marriage and spiralled into alcoholism and a “toxic” relationship.
The 55-year-old known as ‘Slats’ was previously convicted for acts of domestic violence in Manly Local Court at Sydney in 2022.
His concerning behaviour continued when he moved interstate to Noosa, but this time it was against a new victim.
Crown prosecutor Alex Stark said there were startling similarities in both spates of offending, where he used threats of self harm, accused both women of being unfaithful and consumed alcohol, mainly vodka.
Mr Stark said the latest offending escalated to serious violence which led to him pleading guilty to two counts of common assault, two of strangulation, and one of unlawful stalking, assault occasioning bodily harm and burglary by break at night.
The court heard Slater stalked his victim, a woman who he was previously intimately involved with, from December 5, 2023 to April 13, 2024 following the end of their relationship.
Throughout the harassment, Mr Stark said there were three major incidents which gradually increased in severity.
The victim went to his Noosaville home on December 10, 2023 where they drank together. Slater became aggressive and accused her of being with other men. He took her phone and kicked her in the thigh which caused her to fall to the ground.
He continued to abuse her and grabbed her around the throat, choked her and struck her across the left side of her face.
The attacks left her with bruises to her neck and a black eye.
The Crown prosecutor said the woman went to Slater’s home on Boxing Day in 2023 where they drank together. He then “spiralled emotionally” and threatened her with a vodka bottle.
Slater grabbed her around the throat, slammed her into a fridge, pushed her and lifted her off the ground while strangling her when she tried to find refuge in the laundry.
“I can’t breathe, let me go, you’re really hurting me,” Mr Stark quoted the victim saying. This also left her with bruises on her neck, arms and back.
Incessant contact was a constant feature in Slater’s stalking, with the court hearing he repeatedly sent abusive messages, would attend her home unannounced and threaten to kill himself, and how his life was “ruined” because of her, including if she reported him to the police.
The former cricketer did not contact the victim in January, 2024, however it resumed in February when he visited a health spa she frequented.
Mr Stark said he would make disparaging comments to her about her moving on “pretty bloody quick” and even asked to have sex with her in a toilet there when he went back there two weeks later, which she rejected.
Dozens of vitriolic texts and voicemails flowed after this.
One message included Slater saying he was going to die by suicide outside her home, and he attended her home sporadically in March.
She installed security cameras around this time, which notified her of his fateful visit at 9.47pm on April 12 last year.
Mr Stark said Slater banged on her kitchen window before he smashed it and climbed through which caused a deep cut in his hand.
“Open the door, you’ve done this, f---ing open the door,” Mr Stark quoted Slater.
The court heard he abused her and grabbed her by the arm when he was inside. He also demanded to see her phone as he was suspicious about what she was doing that evening. He also drank wine from her fridge.
Police arrived 15 minutes later and he was arrested and remanded in custody.
Mr Stark said due to the serious offences, he asked for a head sentence of five years jail.
Defence barrister Greg McGuire contended Slater could be released on a partly suspended sentence today, saying the commentator had “paid a heavy price already” after spending 375 days in jail where the 55-year-old “struggled big time”.
Mr McGuire said it had been a “tragic fall from grace” for the 55-year-old who, due to his high profile status as a former elite sportsman, spent most of his days confined to his prison cell.
The barrister said despite carving out a successful sporting and broadcast career, Slater had grappled with mental health conditions and alcoholism. He had been alcohol free while in custody.
He said the 55-year-old “felt like a failure” after his marriage broke down in 2017. Despite his credentials in breakfast radio and sports commentary, his Channel 7 contract was not renewed in 2022.
Mr McGuire said Slater went through different stints of rehabilitation following this and tried to move to Noosa for a fresh start, however the court heard Slater fell into the “grips of alcohol addiction” again.
He said the relationship Slater and the woman were involved in was “toxic”, and submitted the 55-year-old did not want to be involved with her anymore.
Slater, born in the NSW Riverina town of Wagga Wagga, rose to prominence in the Australian cricket scene for his aggressive batting style, and was known for his dominance against England in test cricket.
He became a mainstay in the test side for close to a decade, raising his bat 14 times for centuries where his trademark helmet kiss was prominent, and would regularly open the batting with Mark “Tubby” Taylor.
The 55-year-old retired from the game in 2004 however travelled domestically and internationally as a commentator for Channel 9 and 7’s cricket coverage.
The barrister said Slater hoped to move back to NSW to be with family in Newcastle if he was released from custody on Tuesday.
Judge Glen Cash said it was obvious the 55-year-old was an alcoholic, with his condition contributing to the end of his broadcast career and marriage.
He labelled his charges as “extremely serious offending”, but due to his rehabilitative efforts and his high degree of co-operation and accepting responsibility, gave him a partially suspended sentence.
Slater was jailed for four years but his 375 days of prison time was declared as time served, with the rest of his jail term suspended for five years.
Judge Cash however said Slater’s release hinged on other charges still before the Maroochydore Magistrates Court, which were heard on late Tuesday afternoon in front of magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist.
The 55-year-old pleaded guilty to breaching a non-alcohol condition of bail and being in charge of a motor vehicle while over the general alcohol limit and with a relevant drug present.
Police prosecutor Val Crossley told the court Slater was arrested following the April 12, 2024 incident where officers discovered a grey Volkswagen which was still warm.
Senior Sergeant Crossley said Slater told police he caught a cab to the address and sat in the car before police arrived.
In security footage however, when the victim asked him how he came to her home Slater said “I f---ing drove here”.
The court heard blood tests showed he had a blood alcohol reading of 0.091 per cent and also had cannabis present in his saliva.
Slater was fined a total of $900 and disqualified from driving for one month.
When Mr McGuire was asked if he was relieved for the outcome for Slater, he replied: “I’m not the one serving time”.
“He is very relieved, absolutely” he told media.
The retired cricketer left the Maroochydore watch-house early Tuesday evening flanked by his solicitor and declined to answer questions from awaiting media.
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