Griffith’s Area Hotel has tried to increase its poker machine entitlement. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
A man in Griffith was taken to the police station and handed fines totalling more than $1000 after allegedly yelling profanities at police and giving them the middle finger after being asked to leave the Area Hotel.
At about 2 am on Sunday (27 July), the 25-year-old was asked to leave the pub on Banna Avenue by staff for alleged disorderly behaviour.
Five minutes later, police were patrolling the town’s main street when they sighted the man arguing with staff at the entrance of the Area Hotel and trying to regain entry.
Police activated their body-worn video cameras, approached and introduced themselves to the man, who appeared intoxicated, to security staff.
Staff told officers that the man had been asked to leave the premises and was trying to regain entry.
Police will allege the man proceeded to argue with officers about how he needed to re-enter the Area Hotel to see his friends.
Officers escorted the man away from the entrance and asked him where he was staying, but he did not answer their questions.
Police directed the man to leave the main entrance of the pub and to stay at least 20 metres away from the premises.
Officers repeatedly told the 25-year-old to leave the Area Hotel and he eventually complied with the direction.
Upon leaving, the man allegedly stuck both his hands up and extended his middle fingers, yelling profanity towards police.
Police allege the man continued to behave in a disorderly manner and that officers were unable to locate a responsible person to care for him in his intoxicated state.
Officers therefore detained the man and took him back to Griffith Police Station.
Once the man was no longer deemed intoxicated by police, he was issued two infringement notices in person for ‘offensive conduct’ and ‘non-voluntary exclusion of persons from licensed premises’, which carried fines of $500 and $550, respectively.
