(Tamworth, January 24, 2026) – A former hotel licensee in New South Wales, australia, has been banned from holding a liquor licence for one year after a patron was placed in a medically induced coma following a head injury, according to a statement from Liquor and Gaming NSW.
A former hotel operator in New South Wales has been penalized after a patron suffered severe injuries following excessive alcohol consumption at the establishment.
- the former licensee of the Southgate Inn Hotel in Tamworth has been banned from holding a liquor license for one year.
- The patron was served 16 alcoholic beverages in five hours and then purchased a bottle of rum.
- The man’s blood alcohol level was 0.33, nearly seven times the legal driving limit.
- Liquor and Gaming NSW found the staff’s actions posed a serious safety risk and were the responsibility of the licensee.
The licensee of the Southgate Inn Hotel in Tamworth is prohibited from holding a liquor license for one year after a man suffered a head injury and was placed into an induced coma, Liquor and Gaming NSW announced.
The incident occurred after the man was served 16 alcoholic beverages over a five-hour period at the hotel before being allowed to purchase a bottle of rum from the hotel’s bottle shop, according to the regulatory body.
He was later taken to Tamworth Base Hospital with multiple injuries, including a head laceration. His blood alcohol level was recorded at 0.33,nearly seven times the legal driving limit.
Liquor and Gaming NSW investigated a complaint alleging that hotel staff continued to serve the patron despite obvious signs of intoxication. Dimitri Argeres, Director of Regulatory Operations at Liquor and Gaming NSW, stated that the staff’s actions posed a “serious safety risk” to the patron and were the responsibility of the licensee.
“It is indeed critically important that licensees and venue managers train their staff and have procedures in place to ensure the responsible service of alcohol,” Argeres said. “Licensees must ensure their venue operates safely,even when they are not present.”
Argeres added that the staff’s actions “put the patron at risk of significant harm, which led to serious injury,” and warned that venues failing to comply with responsible service of alcohol (RSA) requirements “can expect to be caught and face significant consequences.”
The hotel’s liquor license has since been transferred to a new licensee.
“Apart from breaking the law, the actions of hotel staff in this instance put the patron at risk of significant harm, which led to serious injury,” said Dimitr
Here’s a breakdown answering the “Why, Who, What, and How” questions:
Who: The former licensee of the Southgate Inn Hotel in Tamworth, New South wales, Australia, and a male patron. Liquor and Gaming NSW is the regulatory body involved.
What: A patron was served excessive alcohol at the Southgate Inn Hotel, resulting in a head injury and medically induced coma. The former licensee was banned from holding a liquor license for one year.
Why: The licensee
