Antony Catalano has appeared in court for the first time since entering rehabilitation following an alleged late-night, drug-fuelled attack on his wife in March.

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Catalano, the co-owner of Australian Community Media (ACM) and former high-profile Fairfax Media executive who is well-known for seeking the limelight, appeared via videolink at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday, May 11, avoiding the press pack awaiting his arrival.

Antony Catalano, left has been charged with assault, false imprisonment and making threats. His lawyer Tony Hargreaves leaves court on Monday. Pictures ACM, Enzo Tomasiello

Catalano was charged with assault, false imprisonment and making threats to kill following his arrest on March 13.

The alleged attack left his wife of 14 years, Stefanie Catalano, hospitalised with a fractured tailbone.

Instead of attending court in person and running the media gauntlet, as others who are featured in his newspapers and websites do on a daily basis, Catalano elected to stay bunkered down at his lawyer's office, only 140 metres away.

Catalano's defence barrister, Tony Hargreaves, told the court the 59-year-old was nearby if the court required him to attend in person, but argued that he should be permitted to appear online due to the "intense media attention".

He said Catalano had only recently completed four weeks in a rehabilitation facility, and it would be "potentially detrimental to his mental health" to force him to face the media and risk being photographed or filmed.

Dozens of reporters and photographers from major outlets including the ABC, The Age, Herald Sun, and Catalano's own media company, ACM were stationed both inside and outside the Melbourne court.

Magistrate Nahrain Warda noted that the media coverage was "perhaps not very different to many others that come before the court", but ultimately granted Catalano permission to appear online.

The media executive, who was asked to turn his computer camera on, donned a black suit with a navy blue tie and white shirt.

He appeared from his lawyer's office, only metres away from the Magistrates' Court.

The 59-year-old sat stiffly at a desk throughout the proceedings, at one point appearing sullen as he rested his head in his arms.

Ms Catalano also appeared online, but was not required to have her video on.

Mr Hargreaves said his client had "immediately acknowledged remorse and sorrow for what's taken place".

He said Catalano accepted he has substance abuse issues.

The ABC obtained a recording from Catalano's bail hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on the night of March 13, where the court heard harrowing details of the alleged assault, which police allege continued for about an hour.

On that occasion, Victoria Police Senior Constable Kiran Paramaguru told the court Ms Catalano was "pleading for her life" while she was allegedly attacked by her husband shortly after 12.30am on March 13.

He said 59-year-old Catalano was high on drugs and wearing only his underwear when he began accosting Ms Catalano while she lay in bed.

"The victim was already in bed when the accused approached her in a severely drug-affected state and began ranting and shouting at the victim about matters that don't pertain to her," the officer said.

"The accused then demanded the victim's phone and escalated this unprovoked attack on the victim by physically grabbing her.

"The accused has then proceeded to drag the victim by her hair and ankles through various rooms and hallways within the large apartment complex that they reside in."

At the bail hearing, police alleged Ms Catalano briefly escaped the apartment but was dragged back inside by her hair while waiting for an elevator.

"The accused then threatened the victim, stating 'If you scream one more time, I'll stab you to death'," Senior Constable Paramaguru told the court.

The officer said Ms Catalano believed she was about to die.

Catalano allegedly swung clothes iron with 'considerable force'

The court was told CCTV footage from inside the apartment showed Catalano reaching for a clothes iron.

"[He] can then be seen reaching across the victim, who's now on the floor, and grab an iron and swing it at her with quite considerable force," Senior Constable Paramaguru said.

"She's using all her strength to try and fight the accused for custody of this clothes iron because she feared that it would be used against her to kill her."

He said she was eventually able to flee the couple's apartment and flag down a passing car for help.

Catalano was arrested later that day, still wearing only his underwear.

He was placed on an indefinite leave of absence from his role at ACM, the publisher of this masthead, following his arrest.

In the aftermath of the alleged attack, Catalano said he was "ashamed and humiliated" and would be checking himself into a rehabilitation program for substance abuse issues.

He will return to court on June 2.

• 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 (24/7 national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service)
• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78
• In an emergency, always call 000.