NAB, Helen Rosamond trial: Ex-husband tells how he found wife in ‘sexually compromising’ position
The former husband of an alleged bank fraudster has told a jury he assaulted her and his best friend after seeing them share an intimate kiss.
Crown witness Geoffrey Rosamond said he signed over his companies to his then-wife after being told of the need to protect the brand after he faced criminal proceedings.
Helen Mary Rosamond, 47, has pleaded not guilty to dozens of fraud and bribery charges alleging she masterminded a multi-million-dollar scam against NAB between 2013 and 2017.
Geoffrey Rosamond holds hands with his new wife, Emely, outside Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court on Friday – who was there to support her partner
Mr Rosamond found his best mate Jeremy in a sexually compromising situation with his wife in the street at 3am, the court heard
The then chief executive of events and human resources company Human Group is accused of being involved in fraudulent invoices made to look like NAB expenditures.
The money was allegedly spent on lavish holidays, extravagant presents and other items, as well as for kickbacks to a bank employee accused of being involved in the scam.
Mr Rosamond has told the NSW District Court jury that in 2012 he left Human Group after being told he was a ‘loose cannon’ and his wife was the one who looked after invoices and day to day decisions.
He testified that she had arranged an overseas family holiday, had invoices sent to her for extensive landscaping at their home and for works on her boat, said she paid for a car for his mother and made a loan to his sister and partner.
In January 2015, before their holiday, Mr Rosamond said he assaulted his best friend Jeremy Best after seeing him in a sexually compromising situation with his wife in the street at 3am.
He later apologised to Mr Best, indicating his regret and remorse, acknowledging he had overreacted.
Ms Rosamond, 47, has pleaded not guilty to dozens of fraud and bribery charges alleging she masterminded a multi-million-dollar scam against NAB between 2013 and 2017. Her ex-husband Mr Rosamond is on right
The family left for their overseas trip in April 2015, but the couple’s relationship broke down after his wife told him she had shut one of the companies, just as he was trying to raise capital for one venture.
He resigned as director of all the companies and approved his wife as director.
He stayed in Toronto and his wife communicated to him that Mr Best had gone to the police and Mr Rosamond would be arrested.
‘I responded ‘this is crazy, what is going on? I thought we put it behind us’.’
He said he had no source of funds and agreed to sign over ownership of all the companies for $250,000, although he only received $130,000.
As well as needing money, he was told of the need to ‘protect the brand and reputation’ of the companies from any media coverage of the assault.
Ms Rosamond was accused of a multi-million-dollar scam against NAB (stock image above)
He said after he signed over the companies, NSW police told him he now faced an additional charge of assaulting his wife.
He was arrested in September 2015 on his return to Sydney and later pleaded guilty to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Best and to assaulting his wife.
Under cross-examination on Friday from his ex-wife’s lawyer Dr Anton Hughes, he agreed he had fractured Mr Best’s eye socket.
He said the agreed statement of facts had been contested but the only changes made were that the kiss had turned ‘intimate’ and that Mr Rosamond had been bare foot and wearing his pyjama shorts at the time.
He denied that the purchase of a car for his mother had been his idea, not his wife’s.
‘How would that be so when I am in the UK for my best friend’s funeral?’ he replied.
His cross-examination will continue on Monday.
