ouch! newton v satchwell - from the H-S

ACTOR Matthew Newton allegedly gouged the face and eyes of his girlfriend of six years, actor Brooke Satchwell, leaving her fearing for her life.
He also is accused of repeatedly punching her head on two separate occasions, at one stage yelling: "I'm going to kill you."

Police allege Satchwell begged him to stop but was ignored.

The Herald Sun can report the allegations in the case for the first time.

Documents tendered during his initial bail hearing, on October 16 last year, assert Satchwell did not seek medical attention for her injuries or contact police initially because she was trying to protect her partner.

However, when Satchwell finally went to Balmain police station on October 15 – a week after the second alleged incident – she was still distraught.

The son of TV legend Bert Newton denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty.

The documents also allege Newton, 30, spent time in a psychiatric unit attached to Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. It was there police served him with an interim apprehended violence order after taking a detailed statement from Satchwell.

In the first incident, police allege a verbal argument became physical shortly after Satchwell arrived at the couple's Rozelle home on September 13 last year.

Newton gouged the 26-year-old's eyes and face with both of his hands before pushing her to the ground, it is alleged.

"(She) could feel the accused's fingernails in her eyes and face," the documents allege. Satchwell allegedly begged him to stop but he "continued gouging". The actor and director also allegedly pushed her into a wall, leaving her with injuries including bruises to her legs and hip, a cut and blistered big toe, scratches on her arms and bruises around her forearms.

Her swollen and bruised left eyelid was also seen by a number of Satchwell's colleagues as well as a mutual friend of the couple, police allege.

Three weeks later, on Friday October 6, Satchwell returned home from work about 10.30pm when a verbal argument ensued. "(Newton then) started punching the victim's head, gouged her face and dug his fingernails into her throat," police documents allege. "(She had) three or four fingernail scratch marks and bruising down the front of (her) throat."

One witness interviewed by police has told of seeing Satchwell's injuries, but also heard him say: "I'll kill her. I'm going to kill Brooke." While the witness claims he did not believe Newton would carry out the threats, he would be fearful if the actor "lost control" again. Police have charged Newton with four offences.

Freed on $1000 bail posted by his mother, Patti Newton, he has pleaded not guilty to two counts of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and stalking or intimidating Satchwell, intending to cause her to fear physical or mental harm. His lawyer, Chris Murphy, told Magistrate Ross Clugston this month the charges were the "residue of an expired relationship".

A June hearing date for the matter is expected to be set when the matter returns to Downing Centre Local Court today.