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CFMEU boss John Setka faces Melbourne court on assault charges

CFMEU boss John Setka has fronted court in Melbourne, faced with a charge relating to recklessly causing injury to a woman.

CFMEU boss John Setka faces assault and menacing charges. Picture: David Geraghty/The Australian
CFMEU boss John Setka faces assault and menacing charges. Picture: David Geraghty/The Australian

CFMEU boss John Setka has faced court on assault and menacing charges.

The Herald Sun can reveal police filed the charges on Mr Setka yesterday.

One charge relates to recklessly causing injury to a woman in West Footscray on July 30, 2017.

On October 29 last year, police also allege he used a carriage service in a harassing manner towards the same victim.

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CFMEU boss John Setka faces assault and menacing charges. Picture: David Geraghty/The Australian
CFMEU boss John Setka faces assault and menacing charges. Picture: David Geraghty/The Australian

Details of the allegations against him were not aired in a brief hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today.

Mr Setka, supported by one of his sons in court, sat quietly in the front row as his lawyer, Tim Freeman, requested an adjournment.

He will return to court on March 13.

It is understood that Mr Setka is currently on extended personal leave from the union.

Issues in Mr Setka’s life at Christmas led to him releasing a statement in which he spoke of a “strain” on his family.

Mr Setka delivering a speech at the 2018 Labor Party National Conference in December. Picture: AAP Image, Lukas Coch.
Mr Setka delivering a speech at the 2018 Labor Party National Conference in December. Picture: AAP Image, Lukas Coch.

Mr Setka said last month: “For well over 30 years now I have dedicated my life to the health and wellbeing of construction workers and their families and, on more occasions than I care to remember, my passion and bluntness has landed me in the headlines and not for the right reasons.

“Over the last three years my wife Emma and my children David, Kate and Johnny have suffered immensely from the ongoing political and ideological attacks on myself as a union leader, with the possibility of losing their husband and father to a prison sentence.

“This has been an extremely enormous strain on our family unit and it has taken its toll on each of us as individuals.

“I ask that while family members are seeking to recover from this tumultuous period in their personal lives that they are given the privacy to do so.”

Mr Setka’s reference to facing jail related to blackmail charges laid on him and his deputy, Shaun Reardon in 2015, which he fought and were withdrawn by the prosecution last year.

Those charges related to allegations they had threatened to blockade Boral trucks at Victorian work sites if the company did not stop supplying concrete to Grocon as the union was warring with the builder over OH&S issues.

rebekah.cavanagh@news.com.au

@rebekahcavanagh

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/cfmeu-boss-john-setka-faces-melbourne-court-on-assault-charges/news-story/581a7467700f6a6891f132b6f064ff08