Bondi bar owner stabbed by business partner
A late night argument between the owners of a Bondi bar resulted in one of them being stabbed in the face with the stem of a wine glass.
The incident happened on Friday night when co-owner of wine bar and restaurant Ode, Benedict Maurice, arrived at the venue after midnight. Shortly after he was involved in an argument between himself and business partner Jeremy Moyle, resulting in the two men spitting in each other’s faces.
Maurice then allegedly stabbed Moyle in the face with the stem of a broken wine glass leaving a 2cm gash in his jaw.
Moyle returned home and told his wife “Benedict stabbed me, get help”, before being taken to hospital where he received three stitches to his face.
Maurice was later arrested at the wine bar.
According to police, Maurice was one of four co-owners of the bar at the time of the incident and the relationship between him and his business partners had dissolved.
“(This prompted) the accused to propose a settlement, so he could buy his partners’ shares of the business,” the police report read.
“About midnight the accused arrived at the location where he and the victim and witness have begun talking about the accused buying out his partners’ share of the business. These talks have become heated, with the victim and accused ensuing in a verbal argument.”
Maurice initially denied the assault, saying it was Moyle’s close proximity to the wine glass that caused it to smash and leave a cut on his face.
Maurice was nonetheless charged with reckless wounding, before pleading guilty at Waverley Local Court.
He told Magistrate Allison Hawkins the incident “was not malicious”.
Sheridan Randall, 6th February 2020
