Paul John Bentley charged with torture, domestic violence offences

Lawyers for a man charged with more than a dozen of domestic violence offences have been rebuffed by a judge who flagged large concerns with ‘unacceptable’ delays in matters going to trial at Gympie.

The trial of a man accused of serious domestic violence offences including torture will not be delayed further after a judge refused to push it back several more months amid larger concerns about the speed of Gympie’s District Court.

The trial of a man accused of serious domestic violence offences including torture will not be delayed further after a judge refused to push it back several more months amid larger concerns about the speed of Gympie’s District Court.

Paul John Bentley, 51 of Takura, was excused from appearing at a scheduled indictment hearing of 13 domestic violence charges over the matter.

These included one count of torture, one count of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, five counts of assault occasioning bodily harm (including one while armed), three counts of choking in a domestic setting, two counts of threatening violence, and two counts of common assault.

No pleas have been entered by Mr Bentley.

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Gympie District Court house.

Mr Bentley’s lawyers asked the court for an adjournment to October to seek a brief on the matter, as it was expected to head to trial.

The request was swiftly rebutted.

“The answer is no,” Judge Jennifer Rosengren said.

“I’ve just been having a talk with people in Brisbane and the delay in Gympie, with trials, is unacceptable., what is going on here,” she said.

“(An adjournment to October) is not happening.”

Judge Rosengren instead listed the matter a prerecording of evidence for the next sittings, which starts August 26, 2024.