By Andy Young
The former manager of the Imperial Hotel at Erskineville has been banned from managing licensed premises for three years due to "serious mismanagement" that resulted in illegal drugs activity, intoxicated patrons and disturbance to the local community.
The sanctions against Murat Kilic, which also included a $5000 fine, have been imposed by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority Board, which found he was "not a fit or proper person to manage a licensed venue".
The decision follows an investigation and disciplinary complaint made by Liquor & Gaming NSW.
In a statement about the ruling, Liquor & Gaming NSW said: “Between April and July 2015, NSW Police and Liquor & Gaming NSW inspectors attended the hotel numerous times and found intoxicated patrons, drug use and paraphernalia, noise and crowd control issues and CCTV cameras not working.
“The ILGA Board found that Mr Kilic’s conduct demonstrated a considerable lack of judgment given the location of the hotel and that he proved wanting with respect to knowledge, ability and competence as a licensee.
“The ILGA Board has ordered Mr Kilic to pay Liquor & Gaming NSW’s investigation costs of $5,233 and banned him from being the approved manager of licensed premises or a close associate of a licensee for three years.”
Liquor & Gaming NSW’s Director of Compliance Operations, Sean Goodchild, said the case shows that the regulator will target rogue operators who jeopardise community safety and amenity by failing to properly manage licensed venues.
“Liquor & Gaming NSW and NSW police continue to work closely together conducting both overt and covert operations to ensure venues comply with the law and operate in a safe and responsible manner,” Goodchild said.
UPDATE
A subsequent appeal by Kilic to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Kilic and the ILGA have "reached an agreed settlement, the terms of which are in writing and have been signed by or on behalf of the parties and lodged with the Tribunal. The Tribunal is satisfied that it would have the power to make the following orders which are in the terms of the agreed settlement or in terms that are consistent with the terms of the agreed settlement."
This agreement allowed the appeal made by Kilic and set aside the decision made by ILGA last year.