In a sound warning to operators, three staff members of the Penneshaw Hotel are being charged after a patron nearly six times the legal limit died driving home.
Local Kangaroo Island resident Anthony Read crashed his ute driving from the pub, where it is reported on 23 June, 2013, he consumed 22 drinks at the bar before being sold a six-pack for the 30-kilometre trip home.
Hotel manager Trevor Jaggard, duty manager Richard Purvis and employee Dean Carey were charged with multiple counts of selling or supplying liquor to an intoxicated person.
Shortly after leaving the pub, 55-year-old Read died after colliding with a tree, and later returned a blood alcohol limit of 0.292.
Penneshaw local, Carey, faced Christie’s Beach Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded guilty to serving Read three drinks. The Court saw on CCTV these and the other 19 drinks, served by Purvis and another duty manager, were purchased by Read over the course of a nine-hour stay at the hotel.
Carey admitted to selling Read the take-away liquor, but claimed it was under instruction from Purvis and that he “did not feel like he was in a position to resist”.
Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos fined Carey $700, but did not record a conviction, citing his cooperation, lack of prior history and the unlikelihood he would re-offend.
Managers Purvis and Jaggard are due to appear in court next month.
PubTIC contacted the Penneshaw Hotel for comment, but did receive a reply.
