Fredrick Blencke: Vaucluse banker sentenced for assault, drink driving

The dizzying fall from grace of a high-flying banker is now complete, with an eastern suburbs man sentenced for assaulting his wife and high-range drink driving.

The spectacular downfall of a former investment banker from Sydney’s eastern suburbs is now complete after being sentenced for assaulting his ex-wife and high-range drink driving while on bail at Byron Bay.

The one-time high-flying financier and member of Sydney’s social clique Fredrick Blencke, 50, appeared at Downing Centre Local Court to face judgment after being found guilty of the assault last week.

The Vaucluse man was found to have assaulted his then-wife Annabelle Price by grabbing her phone out of her hand on August 16, 2021.

He had previously pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving after drinking red wine at Ciao restaurant in Bangalow with a breath analysis indicating a blood alcohol concentration of 0.183, more than three times the legal limit.

The drink driving charge was in breach of his bail conditions to not be intoxicated by alcohol or drugs in a public place.

The former elite banker appeared calm and resigned in court, accompanied by his lawyer Lauren MacDougall of MacDougall & Hydes Lawyers.

Fredrik Blencke arriving at Downing Centre Courts today. Picture: David Swift

Freddie Blencke (right) and Annabelle Price.

Magistrate Juliana Crofts convicted Blencke, disqualified his licence for nine months and ordered him to have an alcohol interlock fitted to his car for 12 months and handed down a $1000 fine in relation to the drink driving.

For the assault, the Vaucluse man was convicted and placed on a 12 month conditional release order. An apprehended violence order stopping Blencke from physically approaching or living with Ms Price was made for the same period.

Blencke arriving at court. Picture: David Swift

Blencke and Price in happier times.

Magistrate Crofts told court she noted Blencke did not have any driving matters on his record and his driving had not been “erratic” to attract police attention, however accepted the offence was “an objectively serious matter”.

The magistrate said the fact the assault occurred in the family home was deeply concerning to the court.

The domestic violence-related common assault carried a maximum three-year term of full-time custody, the court heard.

“People have the right to feel safe in their own home,” Magistrate Crofts said

“Domestic violence matters are serious and are treated as such by parliament and the court.”

Blencke, who previously worked for UBS, Goldman Sachs and Bell Potter, has seen his prestigious job and marriage fall away after appearing in court multiple times over the past two years.

The litany of charges have seen his formerly gilded life come undone.

Earlier this year Blencke was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order and fined $750 at Waverley Local Court after pleading guilty to assaulting a police officer and staying in the vicinity of a licensed premises after being asked to leave.

The banker called police officers on the scene “c***s” and kicked a policeman in the head after appearing to slur his words and making sexual advances towards a staff member at Bondi hotel Ravesis last April.

Blencke was motioned away from reporters requesting comment on the outcome by Ms McDougall, reponding; “no, I don’t think so,” when asked for his reaction.

She later released a public statement, which said: “(Blenke) has taken responsibility for the charges that he did plead guilty to and looks forward to moving on with his life”.

“Having spent 30 days in prison on the basis of allegations that were ultimately found by the court last week to not be reliable, Mr Blencke has endured much more than he should have.”