A construction company has gone bust after its director was accused of headbutting a customer who complained about shoddy work, then running over the customer with his van.
Geoff Calvert, the Canberra-based founder of Calvert Constructions, appeared in court in July charged with assault, aggressive driving and burglary.
The incident between the 33-year-old craftsman and a customer at his home was reportedly captured on CCTV footage.
A doorbell camera allegedly captured him threatening the customer and then headbutting him. The customer confirmed to Mr Calvert that he was filmed during an altercation on 27 July.
“I’m probably going to punch you in the face right now, you bastard,” he is said to have said, before dragging his client outside by his leg during the altercation.
After that fight on Saturday afternoon, Mr. Calvert walked to his Toyota HiLux pick-up, with the customer following behind him.
The professional then allegedly threatened him with a collision before driving towards the customer with the bull bar hit him on his right knee.
Australian Capital Territory Magistrate Glenn Theakston described the alleged incident as “very violent behaviour” and ordered him remanded in custody until August 19, at a court hearing on July 30.
Geoff Calvert, the Canberra-based CEO and founder of Calvert Constructions, appeared in court in July charged with assault, aggressive driving and burglary.
Mr. Calvert had first walked around the client’s home to inspect the alleged defects.
The court heard he had left and returned shortly before the alleged attack, with his client telling Mr Calvert he would record their conversation.
“Why would you do that? It’s quite deceptive,” Mr. Calvert replied.
The client indicated he had texted him saying their conversation would be recorded, before Mr Calvert was allegedly captured on camera headbutting him at the front door and then punching him during the alleged fight.
The next day he was arrested.
Calvert Constructions, a family-owned company, went into administration on August 29 following a shareholders meeting. Eddie Senatore Advisory was appointed as liquidator.
Access Canberra, a government agency in the Australian Capital Territory, confirmed it had revoked Mr Calvert’s licence to operate as a Class C building contractor specialising in low-rise residential construction.
A doorbell camera allegedly captured him threatening the client and then headbutting him, after the client confirmed to Mr Calvert that he was being recorded during that July 27 altercation.
His license expired on October 1 because he was no longer able to perform his duties.
“To be eligible for a permit, a company must have at least one applicant that holds an equivalent ACT building permit,” a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
‘If someone is unable to fulfill the day-to-day responsibilities of a nominee, he/she is automatically ineligible to be nominated.
“If that person is the company’s only nominee, the company’s license will be automatically revoked.”
Calvert Constructions was also issued an order in January to rectify defective work so the company would comply with Australian building codes.
Mr Calvert, who was denied bail in July, has since posted a job advert on LinkedIn as a foreman at the construction site.
Mr Calvert, who was denied bail in July, has since posted a job advert on LinkedIn for work as a foreman on the construction site
“I have been working in the construction industry for over 15 years. I moved from a carpentry company to a residential construction company, where I worked for almost 9 years,” he says.
‘I had good employees and great subcontractors.
‘We delivered quality work on time and the experience was positively received by all involved.
‘As a former business owner, I know what it takes to get my team to perform at their best.’
His LinkedIn profile showed that he was a director of Calvert Constructions from August 2015 to March 2024.
Since last year, in addition to his job as head of a construction company, he has also been a foreman on various construction sites.
Construction companies accounted for a quarter of bankruptcies in 2023-24 as the Reserve Bank’s aggressive rate hikes curbed bank lending.
