Former AFL umpire Troy Pannell jailed over contempt of court charges

SeaRoad took civil action in the Supreme Court late last year alleging Pannell had defrauded the business via a fake invoice scheme.

The scheme allegedly involved Pannell generating invoices to pay a company named Independent Container Surveyors & Assessors – of which Pannell was sole shareholder and director – to repair damaged shipping containers. SeaRoad alleges no work was done to repair the containers.

Documents filed in court accuse Pannell of sending as many as 10,000 false invoices of about $800 for repairs to shipping containers.

The court also heard Pannell paid Wilke $10,000 to cover her legal fees after the sale of the thoroughbred horse. He initially told the court he made the sale before freezing orders were imposed in December.

Last week, Pannell had his driver’s licence suspended for six months after pleading guilty to three charges, including twice failing to stop for police, at a Melbourne Magistrate’s Court.

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While three charges were dropped, he pleaded guilty to dealing in property – a white Hyundai Tucson valued at $45,000, an Apple iPhone13 and Microsoft laptop – that were “suspected of being the proceeds of crime”.

Pannell was involved in a single vehicle crash on Daylesford-Malmsbury Road near Wheatsheaf on June 8.

His van ran off the road and hit a tree after he had failed to stop for police, who were trying to enforce a warrant for his arrest over his contempt of court charges.

SeaRoad’s lawyer, Jonathan Davis, KC, previously accused Pannell of “thumbing his nose” at the court.

On Wednesday, Davis requested that Pannell provide details of his bank accounts and those of Independent Container Surveyors & Assessors, within 14 days.

The court heard that failure to do so will result in SeaRoad applying for a default judgment that Pannell owes the company $8.7 million plus legal costs.

Pannell, who appeared in court in a grey tracksuit and wearing a face mask and remained expressionless throughout much of the hearing, said he would provide the details of his bank accounts within two weeks.

Pannell has two weeks to file a defence to allegations that he created fake invoices to defraud SeaRoad.

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