Office short drive away

IT takes just three minutes to drive the distance from Neil Pentland’s Robina home to the place his former business partner, Philip Carlyle, was shot dead.

For years, the man now charged over the 1997 execution-style murder of Mr Carlyle would have been constantly reminded of the building where the 48-year-old father was shot four times in the head and neck.

To do their weekly grocery shopping, go to the beach or visit their grandchildren, Mr Pentland and his wife, Diane, also charged with lying to Crime and Corruption Commission “star chamber” hearings over the case, would have likely driven past the crime scene where Mr Carlyle was slain.

Neil Pentland met Mr Carlyle, a God-fearing father of three, on the sidelines of a weekend sporting match more than two decades ago.

Both their sons played sport together and it wasn’t long until Pentland approached Mr Carlyle about teaming up to start an internet provider business.

Soon after, Atnet was born and Mr Carlyle worked as the marketing manager.

Pentland’s son, Adam, also worked in the business.

Yesterday, after a cold case breakthrough, Pentland was charged with Mr Carlyle’s murder. John Hitchen, a Reedy Creek mechanic and friend of Pentland, was also charged as an accessory to the murder.

In the years since Mr Carlyle’s death, Pentland is understood to have travelled overseas 30 times.

He and Diane have three adult children and several grandchildren, all believed to live on the Gold Coast.

The pair own and operate an embroidery business with headquarters based in Burleigh Heads. The company behind the business was registered in 2006.

Property records show the pair bought their 149sq m unit in Robina in 2002 for $430,000. The pair are listed under an address in Worongary.

Company records show another business, Golden Orb Technologies, was registered in 1995 and is linked to Pentland.

Company extracts show the company is registered to the pair’s home address and has several beneficiaries, including Diane Pentland.

Police will allege Mr Carlyle and Pentland’s Atnet business was in financial trouble in April 1997 and was "in danger of exhausting its capital” before its new website “Insureit” went online.