Anthony Koletti and Melissa Caddick. Photo / Facebook
Anthony Koletti and Melissa Caddick. Photo / Facebook
Melissa Caddick's husband has 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, 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.
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" Koletti played a role in her disappearance.
During his evidence on Wednesday morning, 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 Downing's questions about when he discovered Caddick had left her phone at home.
"You're just going around in circles like you were before," Koletti said.
Koletti told the court he was having trouble following and was feeling distressed.
Koletti's solicitor, Judy Swan, questioned whether Koletti was suffering a "mental disconnect" or a "general disconnect".
Ryan briefly adjourned the court to discuss whether Koletti needed to be assessed as to whether he was fit to continue.
Anthony Koletti was stood down from the witness stand. Photo / Gaye Gerard, NCA Newswire
He resumed his evidence soon after, however after a few more questions, Downing said he was concerned that Koletti's answer would not assist the inquest.
Koletti was expected to conclude his evidence on Tuesday afternoon, however 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," Ryan said.
Koletti is expected to resume his evidence at a later date.
Earlier, 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," 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," Koletti said.
The court has heard that Koletti took 30 hours to report his wife missing.
On Tuesday, Downing pressed Koletti on why he told police that it was a "regular occurrence" for Caddick to go out for a run.
"That wasn't the truth," Downing said.
"I guess; I was so confused by the question," Koletti said.
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.
Koletti dialled into the court hearing on her phone on the morning of November 13, 2020.
In a transcript of the proceedings, 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.
