STATE Cinema owner John Leo Kelly appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court this morning (March 10) charged with one count of common assault.

He was charged with assaulting Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Tasmania Branch Secretary Andrew Muthy, under Section 35(1), Police Offences Act 1935.

The charge sheet read: “You are charged with, on the 9th October 2005 at North Hobart, with assaulting Andrew Muthy by grabbing him by the jacket, not letting him go when asked, swinging him around, pushing him to the ground and causing him to cut his hand.”

He pleaded not guilty.

Kelly’s lawyer, Jim Wilkinson, asked Magistrate Roger Willey for “a contest mention,” to which Police Prosecutor Mike Harley agreed.  The magistrate bailed Kelly, instructing him not to approach Muthy before reappearing in court on April 20.

* Margaretta Pos is Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Tasmania Branch President.