/ 18 September 2007

Katz’s ex-wife denies publicity-seeking charge

Media personality Stan Katz’s ex-wife, Philippa Sklaar, on Tuesday denied that she had exaggerated an assault on her to gain publicity for her new cookbook.

Sklaar, a professional chefc who now lives in America, was being cross-examined in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court where Talk Radio 702’s former chief executive, Katz, is facing two charges of having assaulted her in 2000.

Katz’s advocate, Michael Hellens, on Tuesday accused Sklaar of lying to the court, and said that she had exaggerated both charges.

”I am not here on a crusade, that is completely untrue,” said Sklaar.

Hellens accused Sklaar of being a publicity seeker, referring to 2004 when she had breached a court order and sent an email to OFM describing Katz as a ”monster”.

Hellens also said that she might have wanted publicity for her new cookbook.

Said Sklaar: ”That is not true, I came back here because this is something I felt strongly about.”

”This whole thing is a fabrication,” said Hellens.

”I do not agree with you,” replied Sklaar.

Hellens said if Sklaar had been so severely beaten, then medical reports would have indicated bruising.

”Why are there no defensive injuries?” Hellens asked.

”If you were kicked down the passage by someone wearing shoes, there would have to be even a slight imprint of the shoe on your body.

”The doctor’s report indicate none,” he said, referring to an incident which occurred at their home.

Sklaar said she had been lying in a bed, in the spare bedroom, which she moved into when their marriage began deteriorating.

The court heard that Katz allegedly pulled her off the bed by her ankles after he had asked her if she had cooked supper, to which she replied ”no”.

”He threw the covers off me and pulled me by my ankles, on to the floor.

”He then kicked me out the door and down the step of the garage.”

She said that a lock of hair had been pulled out, when Katz had stood on her hair while she was lying on the floor.

”I have the hair as evidence if the court wishes to see it,” said Sklaar.

”My client denies all allegations against him,” said Hellens.

”It would not surprise us if you had yanked out a piece of your own hair,” said Hellens.

Sklaar said she could not explain why there was no bruising.

”Yes, and we cannot explain why your body is different from other human beings,” replied Hellens.

However, there was a medical report indicating some bruising on Sklaar’s lower back.

Hellens said that his client (Katz) had said that she (Sklaar) had fallen off the bed in that incident and that she had allegedly kicked him, and the bruising was obtained from her falling off the bed.

”You say you were kicked repeatedly to the garage, but the truth is that the garage is just two paces away,” said Hellens.

”I cannot tell you why the reports did not show bruising, I can only tell you what happened,” replied Sklaar.

Sklaar said the first incident occurred when they both had a disagreement regarding smoking of cigars in their home.

”It was agreed that there would be no smoking in the house and when he carried on puffing his cigar, I said I would break it just as he had broken my shirt the night before,” said Sklaar.

She alleged that Katz then pushed her up against the wall of their home, crushed the cigar which she was holding in her hand, scratched at her face and then bit the inside of her lips.

Hellens asked Sklaar if she considered it right in threatening someone to break their cigar.

”I never broke the cigar as he immediately began shoving me and he crushed it on the floor,” she said.

To which Hellens replied: ”In all likelihood the person threatening to break the cigar was the one who did it.”

Sklaar had also admitted to lying to doctors that she had visited previously about her neck injury, saying to them that she was involved in a motor accident years ago, as she was too embarrassed to admit that she was being allegedly beaten by her husband.

Proceedings continue on Thursday. — Sapa