Benjamin Walker: Liberal Party treasurer, Affordable Funding managing director faces court

A Liberal Party treasurer and managing director of a finance company trashed his hotel room during a three-day bender and called a police officer a “piece of sh*t”, a court heard.

After a three day alcoholic binge in the confines of a Sydney hotel, a Liberal Party branch treasurer and managing director of a finance company trashed his hotel room, refused to leave the premises, and called a police officer a “piece of sh*t” when he was arrested, a court heard.

Wentworth Point man Benjamin Walker landed before Downing Centre Local Court after his stay at a four-star hotel Rydges World Square in March ended with a bill of damages estimated to cost $3500.

The 29-year-old, who is a treasurer for the Liberal Party in the federal electorate of Lindsay, was charged with remaining on enclosed lands after the hotel’s management asked him to leave and intentionally or recklessly destroying property.

The court heard Walker, who manages over 30 staff members at his finance company, checked himself into the hotel after his decade-long relationship with his partner broke down.

Walker’s defence lawyer Gary Cassim said his client “engaged in basically an alcoholic binge” for the three days he stayed at Rydges.

Benjamin Walker leaving Downing Centre Local Court.

According to police facts tendered to court, Walker acted strangely throughout his stay at the hotel.

“(Walker) had been abusive towards staff, refused to let staff clean his room and had answered the door naked,” court documents state.

“When Walker was asked to check out at 11am on March 8, he became abusive towards the hotel’s manager and said “F**k you, you dog c**t”, court documents state.

The hotel manager called the police, who entered and found Walker on the balcony of his hotel room.

“(Police found) the room in a state of utter disarray, with smashed glass throughout it,” police facts state.

“(Walker had also) damaged the carpet in the room with cigarette burns … (and) the wardrobe door was broken off the hinge”.

Walker (left) outside court with his lawyer. Picture: Odessa Blain.

When police approached, Walker said “What’s your f**king problem” and called a police officer a “piece of sh*t”, police facts state.

In court, Mr Cassim said the damage to the room mostly occurred when the police arrested his client and the dispute with the hotel management was over the price of his bill.

“This was basically a one-off matter which … can be explained by the breakdown of the relationship with his former partner,” Mr Cassim said.

Mr Cassim also said the charges should be dismissed on mental health grounds as Walker suffers from anxiety and depression, which manifest in his abuse of alcohol, gambling and narcotics.

But the prosecution told the court Walker’s mental health treatment plan was not sufficiently detailed and did not explain how long he would receive treatment.

Magistrate Julia Virgo said while Walker has mental health issues, he also drunk a significant amount of alcohol over the course of his stay at Rydges.

“The offending could be explained by Mr Walker’s conditions … but it is also my view that the offending is more likely to be explained by the excessive abuse of alcohol,” Ms Virgo said.

After the mental health application was dismissed, Walker pleaded guilty to the two charges.

For his offences, Walker was convicted and placed on a 14 month conditional release order (CRO) and fined $400.

A Liberal Party spokesman told News Corp that disciplinary action was being considered against Walker.