Reality TV stars charged with historical offences lose anonymity

Two Channel Seven reality television contestants charged with a string of historical offences can be identified for the first time after one pleaded guilty to several charges, including in relation to an incident where a child was grabbed by the hair and thrown into a wall.

Claudean Uamaki-Mu and her partner, Anthony Mu, appeared on the popular cooking reality show My Kitchen Rules in 2023, the network promoting them as a “fiery Italian and a super-chill Samoan with hearts of gold”.

It later emerged that the pair were facing dozens of charges but could not be named publicly.

Husband and wife Claudean Uamaki-Mu and Anthony Mu were contestants on Channel Seven’s My Kitchen Rules.

A Brisbane court on Wednesday heard the pair had been subjected to public social media shaming despite the fact the press had been restricted by a non-publication order. Uamaki-Mu’s barrister said she was now working at a food truck, selling Italian food, and had been seeing a psychiatrist.

Their case has experienced several delays while before the court. The prosecution alleges the offences were committed between 2005 and 2023.

In January, Uamaki-Mu was committed to stand trial in the District Court in Brisbane, but more than 50 charges were dismissed by Magistrate Stuart Shearer.

Anthony Mu and Claudean Uamaki-Mu (holding hands) leave Richlands Magistrates Court with their legal team after an earlier appearance.Credit: Cloe Read

Separate charges were heard in Richlands Magistrates Court on Wednesday for summary trial, when police prosecutor Tom Wirawan sought to amend or drop some of the pair’s charges.

Wirawan said he would drop four of the seven charges against Mu, and his case was adjourned to next month. Mu left the courtroom for his wife’s sentencing.

The court heard the prosecution were seeking to have Uamaki-Mu face new charges. Her barrister, Simon Lewis, told the court it was the first time the new charges had been presented to him, forcing the court to adjourn for several hours.

When it resumed, the prosecution offered no evidence for some of her charges. Wirawan submitted that Uamaki-Mu should receive a “hefty fine” for six charges of common assault.

The 54-year-old was emotional during her sentencing, with Lewis saying his client was “clearly not perfect, and clearly under some stress”. He described the behaviour as “losses of control” and said there was no utility in Uamaki-Mu receiving a fine, given they were historical offences.

Uamaki-Mu pleaded guilty to six charges of common assault. Her remaining charges in the lower court were dismissed by Acting Magistrate Michael Quinn.

Quinn described the charges as extremely serious, saying they involved children, and their protection was paramount.

He said some of the common assault offences included pulling a child up by the hair, spitting on a child and throwing a Tupperware container at the back of a child’s head. The court heard that on another occasion, a child was kicked in the stomach.

“[There was] another involving pulling the child to the ground and poking the complainant child in her face with your finger,” Quinn said.

“In all, those allegations are extremely serious, and the court must take those into account.”

Quinn sentenced Uamaki-Mu to a good behaviour bond for 12 months, with a $1000 recognisance. No convictions were recorded.

Outside court, the pair, supported by several family members, declined to comment to the media. Supporters shoved journalists out of the way when the group exited the court.

Mu’s case, which includes charges of common assault, will return to Richlands Magistrates Court on May 9. Last year, the two torture charges against Mu were dropped after the prosecution conceded there was not enough evidence to proceed.

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