AI executive fined $3000 for breaking musician’s nose, punching another
The former executive of a $7.2 billion artificial intelligence company was fined $3,000 and had criminal convictions recorded after attacking two musicians during a drunken night out.
Timothy Bentley faced Sydney Downing Center Local Court on Monday after his lawyer failed to persuade the judge that the cybersecurity expert should not make a note of his previously spotless criminal record.
The former vice president of Asia Pacific for cybersecurity start-up Abnormal AI pleaded guilty to punching two musicians at the downtown Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern in February. appeared for the first time.
According to the agreed facts, he struck Stu Greenwood of local band The Grand Union in the face after a few drinks, leaving the guitarist with a broken nose.
When another musician, Bloody Legend’s John Flaws, intervened and tried to stop the fight, Bentley punched him directly in the mouth, the court was told.
Bentley’s lawyer, Tim Lowe, tried to persuade the judge that his client losing his high-profile job and receiving anger management counseling was sufficient punishment for a one-time lapse in judgment.
“My client was immediately made aware of what he was doing wrong… he went to the GP, received a referral for help and counselling, and began his journey of self-improvement from the very beginning,” Mr Lowe said.
“He is truly remorseful… and ashamed of what happened here.”
But Deputy Chief Justice Michael Antrum said allowing Bentley to escape conviction would send the wrong message about the scourge of alcohol-fueled violence.
“This is not just a push, this is not just a struggle, this is two separate blows to the head,” the judge said.
“Society will not accept this type of drunken violence in licensed premises where people are just trying to go out and have a good time.”
He noted two convictions on Bentley’s record for common assault and ordered him to pay a $3,000 fine.
Abnormal AI’s website still lists Bentley as an employee and says it is launching operations in the Asia Pacific region in 2021.
The company provides security services to a quarter of the Fortune 500, which represents some of the world’s largest companies, including tools to prevent employees from falling for phishing scams.
He did not respond to questions about Bentley.
The Grand Union’s guitarist Rohin Sharma said he welcomed the judge’s comments about the attack.
“While we hope that lessons have been learned from this unnecessary ordeal, a modest fine imposed on a successful executive would be of little direct consolation to the victims,” he said.
“The defense lawyer told the court that his client was ‘genuinely remorseful and ashamed’‘but to date he has made absolutely no public or private apology to his client’s victims, so we’re not quite sure how those two facts are reconciled.
“Victims continue to bear the effects of this shocking attack and feel as if they were an afterthought, only informed by the media of the dropped charges and the progress of the case.”
Bentley was initially charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but the charges were later reduced to common assault.
With AAP.
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Kishor Napier-Raman is senior business writer for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He previously worked as a CBD columnist and reporter in the federal parliament press gallery.Connect with: X or email.
