Every week TheShout scours reports from every state and territory in the country to bring you news on crimes affecting the hotel, club and liquor industries. Know of an incident we’ve missed? Give us a shout at editor@54.64.152.77.
TAS
At least a dozen fights erupted in and around Hobart’s waterfront nightclub precinct on Monday night, with police called to attend to six separate disturbances around Franklin Wharf, the ABC reported. The reports follow a night of violence two weeks ago that saw 30 arrests made, with police attributing the violence to the excessive consumption of alcohol. The Hobart City Council is considering the introduction of CCTV technology and improved lighting, while the AHA is calling for a stronger police presence in the area.
A coroner found that staff who served a drunk patron at a Dover hotel indirectly contributed to the man’s death after he drowned in a river shortly after leaving the pub in October last year, the AAP reported. The coroner found the deceased has crossed the road to urinate from a steep bank, slipped into the river and drowned. His blood alcohol reading at the time of his death was 0.184.
NSW
Three males — one armed with a firearm and another with a pool cue — entered a hotel in the Sydney suburb of St Peters on Sunday night and demanded cash from an attendant. A patron’s handbag was stolen in the raid but no one was injured. The offenders are described as having dark complexions, skinny builds and are about 175cm in height. All three had their faces obscured with bandanas or balaclavas at the time of the robbery.
A 29-year-old man was glassed at a licensed premises at Gymea in Sydney’s south on Sunday night. He received severe lacerations to his face and was conveyed to St George Hospital where he was scheduled to undergo reconstructive surgery. The offender was detained by hotel security but escaped and was last seen running east along President Avenue. He is described as being of European appearance, about 170cm tall, of thin build and with a distinctive gap between his two front teeth.
Three men — two armed with firearms — entered a licensed premises at Sydney’s Camperdown on Tuesday night and threatened attendants. They were given a sum of cash before fleeing in a dark blue hatchback driven by a fourth offender. There were no patrons inside the premises at the time and no one was injured in the incident.
QLD
A misunderstanding outside a Brisbane nightclub between a police officer and NSW State of Origin footballer, Greg Bird, quickly escalated into a heated argument, with Bird being handcuffed and put in a police vehicle, News Ltd reported. However, Bird was released and shook hands with the police officer after another NSW footballer approached police and explained Bird had become disorientated and was searching for a cab to return to his hotel. Calls arose in Queensland the following day for Bird to apologise to police, with the footballer saying he had been the victim of a practical joke.
A man wearing a balaclava and armed with a knife entered a hotel bottle shop in Rockhampton on Wednesday night and demanded an attendant open the till. The offender then removed a sum of cash and fled. He is described as being of Indigenous appearance and in his mid-20s.
VIC
The Victorian Court of Appeals has overturned the convictions of three men found guilty of Melbourne’s Salt nightclub killings, the AAP reported. Three men died in the 2002 incident that saw James Huynh hacked to death with machetes and Samuri swords and his two cousins drown in the Yarra River while fleeing the attackers. Seven men had originally been jailed over the incident, three of whom were yesterday released after the court found there was insufficient evidence to prove they had chased the men to the riverbank and contributed to their deaths. Two other men also involved in the incident had their sentences reduced from 30 to 18 years, while the final two men involved in the crime had their appeals dismissed.