Former pro-basketballer Michael Catayas in court over robbery charges

A former pro-basketballer and model, DJ and actor has been revealed as a vile gub who assaulted women and forcibly remove their footwear while they were walking home at night.

Michael Catayas, a former pro-basketballer who also dabbled as a DJ, has gone to jail for assaulting and robbbing women for their shoes. Picture: Social media

A wannabe model, actor and DJ with an interest in female shoes and feet has been unmasked as the thug who attacked six women walking home at night and nicked their footwear.

Former pro-basketballer Michael Catayas told a forensic pathologist he may have had a specific interest in women’s feet and shoes, although he didn’t regard it as a “fetish” — he wore a wig while robbing them.

The 33-year-old of Filipino heritage was on Tuesday sentenced by the County Court to four years and nine months in jail for assaulting six women and either removing or attempting to remove their shoes between May 2020 and January 2022 in the Clayton and Springvale areas.

The women were aged between 14 and 36 and the offending occurred over 18 months.

He pleaded guilty to four charges of robbery and single charges of common assault and attempted robbery.

Catayas’ non-parole period is two years and nine months.

Michael Catayas, a former pro-basketballer and wannabe actor, who has also dabbled as a DJ. Picture: Social media.

Catayas played as a guard for Blackburn Griffins in the Melbourne Basketball League and also competed in the sport in Philippines.

In 2018, he established Budget DJ to provide music to corporate functions. Back then, he reportedly said his goal was “to be the biggest Fil-Aus out there”.

Judge Michael O’Connell said Catayas’ first attempt to rob a woman who was walking from the Clayton railway station about 10pm on May 31, 2020 was unsuccessful as the victim fought back.

In one case, Catayas punched a female in the stomach three times before taking off with her shoes and in another incident, he stole a woman’s white sneakers from Alexander McQueen that cost between $700 and $800.

Catayas also forcibly removed a Balenciaga Triple S black mesh shoes worth about $1500 from a woman in Clayton.

He told his lawyer that the motivation for his offending was financial as he found it difficult to make ends meet during the Covid pandemic when he worked as a Uber driver.

Catayas said he sold the stolen shoes in order to sell them to help meet his financial commitments.

An examination of his Apple iPhone 5 by police revealed messages between multiple women and Catayas regarding women’s shoes, photographs of their feet, and videos of them wearing various shoes. There were also messages discussing obtaining a taser and wig, a search history regarding ‘Alexander McQueen’ and ‘Balenciaga’ size 35 sneakers, and how to sell sneakers online, and location searches of Clayton and Springvale railway stations.

Michael Catayas attacked six women walking home at night and targetted their shoes. Picture: Social media

Catayas told forensic psychologist Dr Jeffrey Cummins that he was feeling depressed and did not have any money and when he saw one of his victims wearing a pair of expensive sneakers, he decided to steal them, although he denied punching her.

Dr Cummins again asked him whether he had any specific attraction to women’s feet and/or shoes. In response Catayas stated “in a very guarded manner” that he may have had a specific interest in women’s feet and shoes, although he did not think of that as having reached a level where it would have been regarded as a fetish.

Judge O’Connell rejected Catayas’ explanation that his offending was purely financially motivated.

“If they were purely financially motivated, there would not be the focus on the shoes of the victims that figure in five of the six offences,” the judge said.

“You engaged in some planning, you disguised yourself and you sought out and attacked these six women at night when they were alone and vulnerable.

“There may have been a time when predatory violence against women walking alone at night was somehow accepted as a fact of life. If that were ever so, it is not so now.”