A Warrawong solicitor who pleaded guilty to forcing himself on a female client before threatening to kill her and a former employee of his firm has claimed his legal team forced him into accepting responsibility for the crimes.
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At a hearing to reverse his guilty plea yesterday, Vincent Stanizzo claimed he told barrister Carolyn Davenport and instructing solicitor Glenn Henniker that he was innocent "many, many times" before he pleaded guilty to two counts each of indecent assault and intimidation in the Downing Centre District Court on November 15.
Facts tendered to court at the time described how Stanizzo allegedly made unwanted sexual advances towards a female client, then threatened to kill her when he was rejected.
They also detailed how, after the woman disclosed the alleged incidents to a male employee of his firm, Stanizzo allegedly threatened to "bury" the man and his family and have his mafia friends "slice" them up "like mortadella - bit by bit, bit by bit".
Yesterday, Downing Centre District Court heard how the 57-year-old, who suffers from anxiety and depression, entered the guilty plea after allegedly being told by Ms Davenport he had "nil and Buckley's" chances of winning a trial.
Stanizzo was due to go to trial on two counts of sexual intercourse without consent where, in the event of a conviction, he would have likely served a minimum seven years' jail.
Those charges were downgraded to two counts of indecent assault on the condition Stanizzo pleaded guilty.
Yesterday Stanizzo said he could only "vaguely" remember signing documents confirming his guilty plea in court.
He said he wanted to go to trial "at all times", including the morning he entered his guilty plea.
In cross-examination, Crown prosecutor Mark Tedeschi suggested Stanizzo pleaded guilty in the face of a strong prosecution case, which allegedly included a recording of him threatening to kill a former employee and his family.
In November, the court heard how, for a number of months, Stanizzo often asked his female client for neck rubs and brushed up against her during meetings.
The relationship then allegedly turned violent when, in September 2008, a semi-naked Stanizzo ambushed the woman at his home and forced himself on her.
After ignoring the woman's screams, he allegedly threatened her, telling her he would "put her in the ocean with concrete legs" if she mentioned the incident to anyone.
The court heard that, despite the woman's attempts to avoid Stanizzo, she eventually returned to his VF Stanizzo Lawyers office in May 2009 to seek legal advice from an employee.
It was there that he allegedly indecently assaulted her for a second time, according to facts tendered to court at the time.
The woman later disclosed the alleged incidents to Stanizzo's employee, who left the firm in August 2009.
Stanizzo then allegedly threatened the employee, claiming he had mafia links who would "slice" his family "like mortadella - bit by bit, bit by bit". Stanizzo was arrested on November 4, 2010, after an investigation into the victims' allegations.
Evidence is expected to be heard from Ms Davenport and Mr Henniker when the hearing to alter his guilty plea resumes today.
