No only is he a woman basher, as if we didn't already know, he's also a massive hypocrite who should get a dose of his own medicine
This was published 12 years ago
Newton living in fear after punch, court told
ByLouise Hall
March 3, 2011 — 12.00am
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ACTOR Matthew Newton is living in ''utter fear'' after being king hit by a man following a media campaign calling on people to ''punch him in the mouth'', a court heard yesterday.
Newton's solicitor, Chris Murphy, told the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney that his client had been subjected to harassment and vilification by sections of the media since an alleged violent incident against his former fiancee, actor Rachael Taylor, last year in Rome.
In a column headlined ''Low Newton needs some of his own medicine'', published in the Daily Telegraph, Paul Kent called Newton ''a dog'' and said he ''needs a good hiding. A smack in the mouth.''
Mr Murphy said Kent ran a ''national campaign'' in the newspaper, as well as on Channel 7 and Triple M, calling for an attack against Newton.
''That journalist's wish was fulfilled,'' Mr Murphy said, when Newton was king hit by a ''large man'' as he left a friend's apartment in Surry Hills to buy cigarettes last December.
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The attack occurred five days after Newton left the Northside Clinic at Wentworthville where he had been treated for an unspecified psychiatric condition for 100 days.
The actor sustained a broken nose and needed stitches, but the incident was not reported to police.
Mr Murphy said Newton had attempted to re-admit himself to the clinic but his treating psychiatrist was on leave. At a loose end, he allegedly rang Taylor and then sent her a text message apologising for contacting her.
''The decision to ring his girlfriend was a mistake,'' Mr Murphy said.
The apprehended violence order taken against Newton by his former partner banned him from contacting her and he was arrested and charged in February with breaching the order and using a telephone to harass, menace or intimidate