Anthony Koletti went to smoke a joint with a mate on the night his wife Melissa Caddick went missing before deleting a series of text messages, an inquest has been told, as he reveals the fraudster wore ‘grandma’ underwear and was physically ‘perfect’.
Mr Koletti said his wife had been wearing black gym clothes and ‘grandma’ style underwear when she was last seen leaving their Dover Heights home.
In a missing person’s questionnaire, he described that his wife was ‘very healthy’, a ‘born leader’, and only drank glasses of chardonnay on the weekends.
Mr Koletti said she enjoyed ‘skiing, jogging and walking’, smoked three Winfield Golds per day and that her ‘fictional hero’ was Joan of Arc.
The questionnaire came as the NSW inquest into Ms Caddick’s disappearance heard Mr Koletti had deleted text messages from his phone to hide from police that he smoked a joint with a friend on the night his wife disappeared.
He told the court he drove to a friend’s house on the evening of November 12, 2020, to get an ‘e-cigarette’.
Mr Koletti described his wife as wearing black ‘gym’ clothes and ‘grandma’ style underwear as well as ‘physically perfect’
The bizarre description comes after a rough day in court for Mr Koletti, who appeared to be reduced to tears by ‘confusing’ questions (pictured here with Ms Caddick)
‘Was it, in fact, to smoke a joint?’ counsel assisting Jason Downing SC asked.
‘I don’t know… it’s possible,’ Mr Koletti said.
‘You must remember,’ Mr Downing said.
‘Let’s just say I did. What’s your point?’ Mr Koletti said.
‘On a night you told us you were conducting searches throughout the day… you, in fact, went to smoke a joint with a friend,’ Mr Downing said.
Mr Koletti said he was concerned about his wife and accepted that it was to calm himself down if he did it.
Mr Koletti deleted the text messages exchanged with that friend before he handed his phone over to police to assist with their inquiries, Mr Downing said.
Doing that must of had ‘something to do with marijuana’, Mr Koletti said.
Tensions had hit breaking point when Jason Downing SC, counsel assisting Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan, asked Mr Koletti (pictured) if he was capable of reading
He formally reported his wife missing the following day on November 13, and was asked if he had been out the night before.
‘Not that I know of,’ he said.
The bizarre descriptions come after a rough day at the inquest for Mr Koletti, who appeared to be reduced to tears by ‘confusing’ questions.
He was dismissed from giving evidence on Wednesday after he was asked by counsel assisting the coroner if he was capable of reading.
‘Mr Koletti, you can read, can’t you?’ Jason Downing SC asked, to which Ms Caddick’s husband replied: ‘I am so confused by your questions’.
The outburst came after Mr Koletti was grilled over an inconsistency about his wife’s disappearance.
Mr Koletti said his wife was physically ‘perfect’, that she was a born leader and ‘outgoing’, and only drank wine on weekends in a Missing Person’s Questionnaire
He told Mr Downing that on the morning of November 12, 2020 when Ms Caddick disappeared, he assumed she had gone out to exercise.
‘I didn’t think anything of it… she’s just gone for a walk which she does every day, not a problem,’ he told police in an interview.
In evidence, Mr Koletti agreed his wife had no habits, her exercise regime was irregular, and she mostly jogged on the treadmill.
Mr Downing continued questioning Mr Koletti on Wednesday about this inconsistency, asking if he was now trying to justify his answers.
‘One of the accounts must not be true,’ Mr Downing said.
‘I’m guessing so, yes,’ Mr Koletti said.
‘Why are you guessing?’ Mr Downing said.
‘Because your questions are confusing, the way you talk is not the way my mind works,’ Mr Koletti said.
‘Everyone has got a different mind. You’ve got to understand that. I don’t think you do. I’ve been through a lot, in case you haven’t noticed.’
Just after 1pm on Wednesday, the coroner announced Mr Koletti (pictured on Tuesday would be dismissed from giving evidence after he became ‘confused’ and ‘distressed’
Parents of Melissa Caddick, Barbara Grimley (left) and Ted Grimley depart the inquest into her death at the Lidcombe Coroner’s Court in Sydney, Monday, September 26, 2022
He spent the afternoon resting out of sight in the NSW Coroners Court building, before his lawyer told the magistrate he needed to be assessed before returning.
‘We will be taking him to see someone, he may be fine, but we are not doctors,’ his lawyer Judy Swan said.
Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan eventually asked Mr Koletti to leave the witness box, saying she relied on him being able to focus on the questions and respond truthfully.
Mr Koletti may return on Thursday to give evidence if deemed fit.
It comes as the brother of missing fraudster Melissa Caddick says her family categorically rejects the notion her husband could have harmed her or been complicit in her disappearance.
Anthony Koletti has burst into tears while being questioned over an inconsistency about his wife Melissa Caddick’s disappearance (pictured, the couple in happier times)
Melissa Caddick’s brother Adam Grimley (pictured in 2020) says the family is ‘floored’ counsel seem to be ‘going after’ his brother-in-law Anthony Koletti
Adam Grimley says the family is ‘floored’ counsel assisting the inquest into Ms Caddick’s presumed death seems to be ‘going after’ his brother-in-law.
In a statement to Ms Ryan on September 19, he described Anthony Koletti as an ‘extremely gentle and kind man’ who remains a valued member of the family.
‘I make this statement in response to the line of questioning taken by counsel assisting which suggests that my brother-in-law … could have harmed my sister or in some way be complicit in her disappearance’, Mr Grimley said.
‘The family categorically dismisses such ideas and are absolutely floored that counsel assisting seems to be going after Anthony and saying Anthony or police are to blame for Melissa’s disappearance.’
He noted counsel seemed to be presenting ‘unverified gossip as fact’ and said Mr Koletti had suffered enormously from the loss of his wife, the shock of her misconduct and unsubstantiated accusations that followed.
The statement was tendered in court before Mr Koletti was called to give evidence this week but was asked to step down due to his confusion and distress on Wednesday.
The inquest continues.
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