Michael Slater reveals he spent more than 100 days in rehab as he attempts to get his domestic violence charges dealt under mental health laws

Former star cricketer Michael Slater spent more than 100 days in rehab as he attempts to convince a magistrate to deal with his domestic violence charges under mental health laws.

Slater played 74 Tests and 42 One Day Internationals for Australia between 1993 and 2001 before moving into television commentary.

Mr Slater appeared at Waverley Local Court on Monday as his lawyers argued his charges should be dealt with under the Mental Health Act rather than via criminal law, according to Fox Sports.

The former Test batsman was first charged in October last year after he allegedly used a carriage service to menace, harass or offend his former partner, following an alleged domestic violence incident.

According to court documents, Mr Slater allegedly used a mobile phone to harass his ex partner between March and October last year, as well as allegedly stalking and intimidating the woman at Randwick between October 12 and 13.

In December, he was rearrested at Manly and charged with contravening an apprehended violence order and using a carriage service to menace, harass or intimidate his former partner.

The 52-year-old allegedly sent 66 text messages and made 18 phone calls to his ex-partner over about two-and-a-half hours on the night of December 14, the court previously heard.

He was axed from Channel 7’s cricket coverage last October after he slammed Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Twitter while he was in the Maldives, when the Indian Premier League was suspended due to the pandemic.