Matthew Newton's Troubles Continue

Bert and Patti Newton are Australia’s show business royalty, well respected and loved. But their son Matthew is making life difficult for his family. He’s been described as a “troubled” man which is rather an understatement. On the New Years Eve 2006 episode of The Big Night In with John Foreman on Network Ten had viewers complaining that the show was in bad taste as he simulated sex acts and other suggestive material and used bad language. That same year Newtown split with long time girlfriend Brooke Satchwell. It was said that he punched her in the head on more than one occasion and attempted to gouge her eyes and face. Chris Murphy was his solicitor and he received a 12 month good behaviour bond. Family, friends and work colleagues all gave him character references and said it was completely out of character. In July 2007, Newton was successful in having the conviction overturned when his Solicitor Chris Murphy submitted a letter from his psychiatrist, outlining his depressive illness and stated he was unlikely to reoffend.

In November 2009 Newton trashed his hotel room in Kings Cross inflicting $9,000 worth of damage. The room was booked in the name of his then girlfriend Rachael Taylor and he departed the next day without checking out. The police were called but no charges were laid. In March 2010, Newton was 'ejected' from the Cullen Hotel in Melbourne after they discovered $4000 worth of damage to the hotel room during his 3 week stay. In April 2010 he was admitted to Malvern Private Hospital in Melbourne, who specialise in a 28 day drug and alcohol addiction recovery program. In August 2010 he was involved in two particularly brutal domestic violence incidents at a hotel in Rome with girlfriend Rachael Taylor. That's when Rachael finally decided to end the relationship and took out an AVO to keep him away. But he couldn’t stay away and two weeks ago he was arrested for trying to make contact with her again. He was released on bail and ordered to appear in Court in March 2011 and faces possible jail time.

Now Patti Newton has been dumped mid-contract as the ambassador for Millers Ladies Fashion Club. Patti was informed by executives “that with everything that was happening, Patti is no longer the right fit for the brand.” Newton apparently interpreted "everything that was happening" as meaning the personal problems affecting her son Matthew. Executives were critical of the media fallout after Matthew’s attack on girlfriend Rachael Taylor and thought his mother could adversely affect sales of the conservative women’s label. They felt that because their fashion target is for women over 50, baby boomers would be shocked by Matthew's behaviour. Friends of the family yesterday said Patti was beside herself with worry concerning her troubled only son and had been making regular trips to Sydney in recent months to support him while he has been in rehab.