Former reality contestant on attempted murder trial

A former contestant from Australian Survivor will stand trial for trying to murder his ex-girlfriend.

31 year-old Joel Betts is accused of trying to murder Samantha Holland last April, when she went to his Chippendale home to pick up her belongings. He is accused of stabbing Holland 12 times in the back with a bread knife after the tip of a smaller knife snapped off in her back.

Betts also hosted the The Joel Betts Show for Foxtel in which he interviewed celebrities such as Cate Blanchett and Russell Crowe. He founded his own marketing company Won Group and also used to work for Opposition Treasury spokesman Joe Hockey as a volunteer.

Police documents said he wanted to rekindle his relationship with Holland, then 24. He is accused of detaining her for ”psychological advantage” on April 17 last year.

Police said she persuaded him to relinquish the knife by saying if he wanted them to die together ”in the Romeo and Juliet love scenario that he had in mind … he should give the knife to me”. Seeking a chance to escape, she stabbed him in the stomach, police said.

He will face the District Court on March 25.

Source: smh.com.au, ABC