Sensational twist at Melissa Caddick inquest as husband too distraught to continue evidence

Melissa Caddick’s husband stood down from the witness stand at the inquest into her disappearance after struggling to answer questions about her last moments.

Melissa Caddick’s husband has sensationally had to step down from the witness stand at the inquest into her suspected death after he struggled to answer questions about key moments around her disappearance.

During a dramatic and tense second day of his evidence before the coronial inquest on Wednesday, Anthony Koletti admitted he gave untruthful answers to police about her movements on the morning she went missing, saying he was “confused”.

Under questioning from counsel assisting Jason Downing on Wednesday, Mr Koletti was asked about his various claims to police and the media that when he realised she had walked out their door, he believed she had gone for a walk or a jog.

When police came to his house, he told one officer that she went outside to exercise “every day, no problem”.

He also told police at the time that her leaving the house early in the morning did not raise his concerns because she was known to do so.

However, when police viewed CCTV from their home, they discovered in the month prior to her going missing, she had not once gone out for a jog in the early hours.

Anthony Koletti was stood down from the witness stand. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

During his evidence on Wednesday morning, Mr Koletti asked to take a break, with Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan bringing forward the morning tea adjournment.

When he returned, he again struggled to answer Mr Downing’s questions about when he discovered Ms Caddick had left her phone at home.

“You’re just going around in circles like you were before,” Mr Koletti said.

Mr Koletti’s solicitor, Judy Swan, questioned whether Mr Koletti was suffering a “mental disconnect” or a “general disconnect”.

Mr Koletti told the court he was having trouble following and was feeling distressed, with the court hearing he had spoken to a social worker during a break in proceedings.

He resumed his evidence, however after a few more questions, Mr Downing said he was concerned that Mr Koletti’s answer would not assist the inquest.

Mr Koletti was expected to conclude his evidence on Wednesday afternoon, however Ms Ryan asked that he step down from the witness stand.

“If you are unable to focus on the question and give truthful answers to them, that is not going to assist me,” Ms Ryan said.

The court heard on Wednesday afternoon that Mr Koletti was resting in another court and may resume his evidence on Thursday.

However the court may choose to instead call a forensic psychiatrist to give evidence.

“He may be fine, we’re not doctors, so we don’t know,” Ms Swan said.

Anthony Koletti and Melissa Caddick, who disappeared in November 2020. Picture: Facebook

Ms Caddick vanished from her luxurious Dover Heights home on November 12, 2020.

Her disappearance came just hours after federal police and ASIC raided the home – which she also used for her financial services business Maliver.

The court has heard that she was heard closing the front door of the four-storey mansion about 6am, never to be seen again.

Police have previously told the court there was no sign of a struggle at the Caddick residence and there was “no evidence” Mr Koletti played a role in her disappearance.

Melissa Caddick disappeared after ripping off investors. Picture: Andy Baker

Earlier, Mr Koletti admitted he gave untruthful information to police about his wife going for a jog, but explained he was confused by the questions and basing his answers on assumptions.

“It was an assumption,” Mr Koletti told the court on Wednesday.

He told the court that she usually exercised in the morning on the treadmill in the upstairs bedroom, however assumed she had on this occasion gone out for a jog, despite it not being her habit.

“I’m confused … The way that you talk is not the way that my mind works,” Mr Koletti said.

“Everyone has a different mind.”

On Wednesday, Mr Downing pressed Mr Koletti on why he told police that it was a “regular occurrence” for Ms Caddick to go out for a run.

“That wasn’t the truth,” Mr Downing said.

“I guess; I was so confused by the question,” Mr Koletti said.

She was last seen at her Dover Heights home in November 2020.

Mr Koletti told the court on Wednesday he had “some concern” when he realised she had left the house without her phone, but didn’t become “completely alarmed” until the next day, when she failed to turn up to court.

Mr Koletti dialled into the court hearing on her phone on the morning of November 13, 2020.

In a transcript of the proceedings, Mr Koletti told the judge: “Melissa Caddick is my wife … Is she not there?”

Afterwards, he called both AFP Constable Amelia Griffen and ASIC investigator Isabella Allen, who both told him to contact NSW Police before he phoned Rose Bay station.

On Wednesday afternoon, oceanographer and CSIRO researcher Dr David Griffin told the court that it was possible that Ms Caddick’s body entered the water off Sydney on November 12 and floated for three months to the NSW South Coast, where her foot was discovered in February 2021.

The inquest continues.