Window on Tinkler’s world

Former billionaire to face court on damage charge

BANKRUPT former billionaire Nathan Tinkler will be back in court next week after being charged for allegedly smashing his sister’s window.

His latest legal troubles come just days after his creditors refused to accept his latest settlement offer of $1 million to have his bankruptcy revoked – meaning he could now lose his last piece of property.

Police allege the 41-year-old was at his sister Donna Dennis and her husband Lindsay’s house in Kendall, on the NSW mid north coast near Port Macquarie about 8.15pm on December 28.

After speaking to somebody at the home, Tinkler allegedly broke a window then left. He was arrested at a home in nearby Rossglen a short time later, at 10.45pm.

“(Tinkler) was taken to Port Macquarie police station and charged with destroy or damage property, and granted conditional bail to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court on Wednesday, January 24,” a police spokeswoman said.

Lindsay Dennis has also applied for an apprehended violence order against the former mining magnate, to be heard in court on the same date.

The incident follows a rough few weeks for the fallen business titan, with his offer of less than 0.2¢ in the dollar to his settle a $553.8 million debt to creditors – including the Australian Taxation Office and global investment banks – being turned down.

“Mr Tinkler did propose another deed of composition in late December, there was a meeting of creditors, and unfortunately creditors at that meeting resolved not to accept that proposal,” Ferrier Hodgson partner Robyn Duggan said.

Tinkler was once one of Australia’s top tycoons, owning hundreds of racehorses, a fleet of luxury cars, a private jet and two sport teams – Newcastle’s Knights and Jets – but his empire began to crumble in 2014. He was declared bankrupt in March 2016, claiming to just have $2000 in his bank account and a rural property at Rossglen worth $665,000.

Tinkler once owned four parcels of land in the Gold Coast Hinterland, which were used for breeding and training race horses.

In 2015 he sold all his Coast properties to Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung.

The Aquis Group chairman bought all four Patinack Farm landholdings for $15 million, an amount believed to have been a bargain.

Ms Duggan said now that Deloitte had sold Patinack Farm the bankruptcy trustee could seize the Rossglen property.

Tinkler did not return calls yesterday.