Man faces a possible life ban
Man faces a possible life ban
Nikita Watts | 9th January 2012
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Tags: capricorn coast liquor accord, drinking ban, lachlan mcquilty, yeppoon magistrates court
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Banned drinker ready to quit Coast
LACHLAN McQuilty won’t be grinning if he is banned for life from all licensed venues on the Capricorn Coast.
That could be his fate when the Capricorn Coast Liquor Accord meets next month, after the Yeppoon 19-year-old faced the Yeppoon Magistrates Court on Friday, pleading guilty to three charges of contravening a banning order.
He is the first person in the Rockhampton district to be charged with the offence since the legislation was introduced in December last year.
Chairman of the Capricorn Coast Liquor Accord John Foley said the group would next month discuss whether to upgrade McQuilty’s current 12-month ban.
In September 2011, police made an application to ban McQuilty from the Marsden Tavern when he appeared in the Yeppoon Magistrates Court for a public nuisance charge.
He was banned from entering the tavern and all licensed venues on the Capricorn Coast for 12 months under the Liquor Accord members’ "banned from one, banned from all" policy.
On Friday, the court heard McQuilty did whatever it took to get inside the tavern – including jumping the fence – on three separate occasions in October and November last year, despite being banned from the venue, and all others until September this year.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Joe Aboud said McQuilty told police he was not able to keep away from the venues and did not want to be formally interviewed when he was caught each time.
Danny Yarrow, McQuilty’s lawyer, said he accepted he shouldn’t have been inside the venue.
He said he hadn’t been in any trouble since and now understood the seriousness of the offences.
McQuilty’s grin faded when he was informed by Magistrate Annette Hennessy that the maximum penalty for contravening a banning order was $4000 or one year imprisonment.
She convicted and fined him $750.
Mr Foley said the case set an example to people who were banned, and he hoped they would take note of the consequences if the ban was breached.
He said the group would meet and discuss what steps the accord could take to ensure McQuilty had extra penalties for breaking the banning order.
He said 25 people on the Capricorn Coast were currently banned from venues.
BAN FROM LICENSED PREMISES
Patrons who are violent, refuse to obey directions from staff, are disorderly, commit assault, wilful damage or break and enter a venue can be banned.
Penalties include a fine of up to $4000 or one year in jail.
Once banned from one venue, patrons are banned from all under the Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton Liquor Accord.
Bans can be for life, a year or six months.
