Top Sydney banker accused of trying to kill his  partner with a saucepan and boiling water inside luxury French hotel

By CHARLOTTE KARP, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 03:17, 13 August 2026 | Updated: 03:28, 13 August 2026 A Sydney banker allegedly tried to murder his Australian partner with a saucepan and boiling water at a luxury hotel in France before being caught 36 hours later allegedly trying to flee the country. French authorities detained David Cao, 37, at the Belgian border following a manhunt launched after the alleged attack at the Château de Perreux boutique hotel on July 28.  Cao allegedly hit his partner on the head with a hot saucepan and poured boiling water over his body during the violent late-night incident.  The couple were reportedly on a European holiday and had booked the hotel for one night before travelling on to World Gay Pride Amsterdam.  Guests and staff reportedly heard screams from the room. Hotel staff later discovered Cao’s partner alone with critical injuries. Cao was later arrested in Lille, almost 500km north of the hotel. It's alleged he fled the hotel in a rental car. Cao is a top executive at ING bank, and worked in top roles as Westpac as the Head of Diversity and Inclusion. He also worked at Commonwealth Bank, prestigious investment bank Goldman Sachs and the Bank of Queensland He is also a board member of Rainbow Giving Australia, an LGBTQI organisation that secures funding for the community.