An overzealous bouncer in a Darwin pub has been charged over reckless endangerment, after he choked a patron unconscious and dumped him on the concrete, in front of a crowd of witnesses.
The incident reportedly took place in the early hours of Saturday morning, and video (below) taken by onlookers soon made its way onto social media. The footage appears to show a security guard speaking to a patron outside the Landmark Hotel, in the Gateway Shopping Centre in Palmerston.
A 29-year-old man is seen, seemingly arguing with a guard, when the doorman grabs him around the neck and forces him backward onto a brick railing wall. The young man’s body is contorted backward, over the wall, and he appears to go limp.
The guard then drops him down the stairs, where he face-plants the concrete in front of stunned onlookers.
Another guard is among those watching the altercation, and a second video appears to show a third guard stroll towards the unconscious man’s body, before chatting to two female onlookers.
Authorities arrived, and the victim was taken to hospital, where he was treated for facial injuries.
On Monday police issued a statement that the crowd controller had been arrested for what they described as an alleged assault, but charges were yet to be laid. Thanking members of the public for providing footage, Detective Senior Sergeant Annette Cooper appealed for others to come forward.
“Police would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or who has footage of the assault.”
Many on social media labelled the guard’s behaviour as “disgusting”, even “disturbing”.
He was an employee of Neptune Security, which provides services including personal protection, crowd control and major events. The company swiftly issued its own statement that the 36-year-old guard had been stood down, pending an investigation.
The Landmark Hotel is part of the Colemans Hospitality Group stable, which previously held the high-profile Shenannigans Pub & Restaurant.
The Landmark similarly issued a statement, stressing that the guard would no longer work at the venue, and that while there appeared to have been ‘extenuating circumstances’ prior to what is seen in the video, the actions of the security guard were “completely inexcusable”.
PubTIC was unable to secure further comment prior to publication.
On Tuesday a Northern Territory Police spokesperson issued an update, that the guard had been charged with recklessly endangering serious harm. If convicted he faces penalty of up to seven years’ imprisonment, or 10 years if deemed an aggravated offence.
The man was granted bail, to appear in court 8 March.