A Sydney banker has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly assaulting his partner with a saucepan and boiling water in a luxury French villa before going on the run.David Cao, 37, was arrested by French authorities 500km away at the Belgian border following a 36-hour manhunt sparked by the violent late-night incident at the Château de Perreux hotel in the Nazelles-Négron area of central France on July 28.Mr Cao is alleged to have hit his partner on the head with a hot saucepan and poured boiling water over his body, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.The couple had reportedly checked into the boutique venue’s “cave rooms” — carved into the cliff adjacent to the hotel — for a one-night stopover as part of a European holiday which was to culminate in their attendance at World Pride Amsterdam, according to French media.Guests and staff reported screams from the hotel room. Mr Cao’s partner was found critically injured by hotel staff.Authorities allege Mr Cao fled the hotel in a rental car, travelling three hours north to Rouen before boarding a train to Paris, and then onto Lille near the Belgian border where he was arrested as he disembarked the train.He was charged with attempted murder and is being held in custody awaiting trial.French newspaper Ouest France reports Mr Cao is facing other charges including kidnapping, theft, torture and acts of barbarity.La Nouvelle Republique, citing a source close to the investigation, reports Mr Cao admitted to the attack but not intending to kill his partner.His partner is recovering in hospital and hopes to return to Australia in the next two weeks, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. The man is receiving consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), a spokesman confirmed to news.com.au.DFAT said it was also “seeking to make contact with an Australian detained in France to offer consular assistance”.“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment,” the spokesman said.Mr Cao worked at ING as head of retail value creation at the time of the incident, but is no longer employed by the bank.“We are aware of allegations involving a former employee,” an ING spokesman told news.com.au.He previously worked at Westpac where he was head of diversity, equity and inclusion for nearly 18 months.Read related topics:Sydney