A Sydney restaurant has received a Strike and fine and may face further repercussions for dumping two unconscious and highly intoxicated female patrons on the street.
A police report presented to the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) stated that three women entered the Gangnam Station Korean restaurant in Sussex St at 7.55pm on 9 November 2017, and ordered eight shots of soju each.
Upon finishing the shots, at around 8:35pm, two of the women passed out.
Staff and other patrons carried the women out of the restaurant, leaving them on the footpath. One of the women vomited whilst being removed.
People outside gathered around the unconscious women, drawing the attention of police who called an ambulance, which transported them to hospital.
NSW Police has fined the restaurant $2,200 for permitting intoxication, and ILGA has imposed a Strike on the restaurant’s licensee, Ms Sunhwa Kim, under the NSW Government’s Three Strikes disciplinary scheme.
The Authority is also proposing to:
- reduce Gangnam Station’s closing time from 2am to midnight
- require the venue have a security guard trained in the responsible service of alcohol on the premises from 8pm each night
- the licensee engage a suitably qualified person to prepare a Plan of Management (POM)
- the premises be operated in accordance with the POM at all times
Liquor & Gaming NSW is also considering taking further action, but was unable to disclose further details at this time.
The regulator describes the incident as “one of the worst breaches of liquor laws in NSW in recent years”, and Director of Compliance Operations Sean Goodchild said it showed a blatant disregard for the patrons’ health and safety.
“It’s hard to imagine a worse case of a venue failing in its obligations to prevent misuse and abuse of alcohol.”
