Start-up boss to face trial for kidnapping, domestic violence
A former start-up boss once backed by billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Peter Thiel will face trial accused of a year-long campaign of domestic violence against his former partner, including stalking, kidnapping and assault.
Paul Kevin Bennetts co-founded and ran superannuation firm Spaceship with backing from the founders of Atlassian and PayPal in 2016. At the time he told Vogue Australia Spaceship would look to the tech industry to enrich the super balances of Millennials.
But just a few years later, trouble was brewing in Bennetts' professional and personal life.
He left Starship in May 2019.
Bennetts was banned from providing financial services by ASIC in January 2022, after he 'dishonestly obtained' his directors qualifications. ASIC found Bennetts had asked one of his company's compliance officers to sit his assessments.
It was just a few months later that Bennetts was allegedly abusing his partner.
Court documents show Bennetts will face trial in the District Court on a raft of domestic violence charges. The lengthy list includes four counts of assault, 12 counts of stalking or intimidation, two counts of taking or detaining a person for advantage – the legal term for kidnapping – and possess a recording made with a surveillance device.
The court documents show the allegations against Bennetts began in August 2022 and continued until November 2023. He was charged in December 2023.
All charges relate to one woman, his former partner, whom the Herald will not identify. Bennetts has pleaded not guilty to each count.
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