Actor Craig McLachlan to give evidence remotely in indecent assault case
Former Neighbours and Home and Away star Craig McLachlan has been granted special permission to appear via video link to a Victorian court from his New South Wales home as he attempts to clear his name of indecent assault allegations next month.
Police & Courts
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Gold Logie-winning Australian actor Craig McLachlan will attempt to clear his name of indecent assault allegations when he gives evidence to a Victorian court next month.
But the former Neighbours and Home and Away star won’t have to attend Melbourne Magistrates Court for the November 2 hearing.
Instead, he has been granted special permission to appear via video link from his New South Wales home due to the coronavirus pandemic.
McLachlan, 54, was playing Frank-n-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show production when he is accused of indecently assaulting four female co-stars on and off stage.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, including indecent assault, common assault and attempted assault.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington called the matter on for a special mention on Friday to transfer it to the online court set up to deal with priority matters during COVID-19.
“The matter wasn’t listed for some time because of the pandemic,” Ms Wallington said.
“Then we relisted it for the 2nd of November thinking the restrictions would be eased by then, but instead we had the second wave of the pandemic.”
She said to avoid further delays the case should proceed in the online court.
The move was opposed by prosecutor Matt Fisher, who claimed it would be difficult to grill McLachlan over video link, also claiming it was unfair that McLachlan’s complainant’s had to give evidence in a courtroom but he doesn’t.
Mr Fisher said the “appropriate course” would be to adjourn the case until he was able to appear in person.
Defence lawyer Sam Tovey said an adjournment would be a “drastic step” with McLachlan already having the case “hanging over his head” for an “extraordinary” amount of time.
He said the allegations date back to 2014 with Mr McLachlan charged in January last year.
“We are coming up on the one-year anniversary of this contested hearing,” he said.
“Mr McLachlan has felt that acutely.
“We seek to have the hearing heard and determined at the earliest available opportunity.”
Addressing the issue of fairness, Mr Tovey said the current global pandemic has enforced changes at the courts out of everyone’s control.
“That’s the circumstances that prevail at present,” he said.
McLachlan had flown to Melbourne to appear for every other court appearance.
Next month’s hearing will run over the week starting November 2, except for the public holiday on the Tuesday for Melbourne Cup, with Mr Tovey saying they would call up to five witnesses to give evidence: two of which would talk to McLachlan’s good character.
The Gold Logie-wining actor’s evidence is expected to take up all of the first day.
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