Footballers fined after trouble in hotel

Press, 27 October 1982, Page 29

Footballers fined after trouble in hotel

PA Dunedin Four members of the Taieri Rugby Club have appeared in the District Court at Dunedin on charges relating to a disturbance at a Quenstown Hotel on September 4.

Sergeant A. N. Bremner said the rugby team was drinking at Eichardts Tavern during the evening of September 4. The police were called as a result of damage done and behaviour of the patrons. The crowd was yelling general abuse at the police, threats were made, and the atmosphere became hostile.

Police reinforcements were brought from Invercargill-

Murray Henry Tisdall, aged 19, an auto-electrician, was arrested ffor using boscene language in the bar and for being a minor on licensed premises.

John Albert Stringer, aged 20. an apprentice coachbuilder, was arrested for behaving in a disorderly manner in the hotel.

Sergeant Bremner said that after trying to talk to a person who had been ar-

rested, Gregory Mark Philp, aged 19, a meat packer, pointed his finger at a constable and threatened to “get him.”

While the police were patrolling past the hotel earlier in the evening, John Graham Burt, aged 19, a slaughterman, had used obscene language. He had admitted having been in a bar while aged under 20.

The defendants admitted the offences as outlined. Counsel, Mr P. Churchman, submitted that they had already suffered a considerable penalty as they had spent a night in custody and had been subject to adverse publicity.

He said the defendants strenously denied causing damage or violence. Judge Bradford said the defendants were four decent young men who went away bn a rugby trip and unwisely had too much to drink.

When they went away on such trips they not only had their own good names and reputations to defend but that of their club, the Judge

said. Tisdall and Burt were each convicted and fined $5O, on the charge of using obscene language, and convicted and fined $2O for being a minor in a bar.

Stringer was convicted and fined $75 on the charge of disorderly behaviour and Philp was convicted and fined $75 for behaving in a threatening manner.