On Monday Orange Local Court fined a man $1300 over his drunken behaviour and failure to leave a local hotel.
Mechanic Benjamin Gray was asked by staff to leave the hotel in the early hours of 4 April, but argued with security outside. Passing police on a routine patrol spotted Gray in what they described as an “imminent” violent situation.
When approached by police, Gray’s friend led him away to a nearby taxi rank, but the 27-year-old returned to again confront police and security, at which time he was arrested.
In Court the defendant self-defended, and stated he believed he was not intoxicated and had only had one drink since entering the hotel.
“They shouldn’t have served me if they thought I was intoxicated,” he reportedly said.
Magistrate Terry Lucas noted he had the option to send Gray to jail for two years, but instead fined him $800 on the charge of ‘resisting an officer in the execution of his duty’ and $500 for ‘being an excluded person remaining in the vicinity of licensed premises’.
“When hotel staff tell you to leave a premises, there are no ‘if’s and ‘but’s,” said Lucas.
“There should be no argument. If this happens again, just put your hat on and leave.”
