Bartenders fined over death of footballer

Two bartenders have been fined a combined total of AU$11,500 for serving alcohol to an “essentially comatose” footballer who was later found dead on the premises.

Jason Short was found dead in a bedroom at the Kingston Crown Inn Hotel, about 300km southeast of Adelaide, after drinking heavily over a period of four hours on April 30, 2011, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Prior to his death Short, who played for a local B-grade football team, could be seen on the hotel’s CCTV system staggering and sway in an “obviously drunk manner”.

A cause of death was not determined, but a doctor said  it may have resulted from a high concentration of alcohol combined with medication he was taking for mental health issues.

Last month, Magistrate Paul Foley found Alison Louise Selleck, 21, Tom Gardner, 32, and Firstlite Pty Ltd, the holder of the hotel’s licence, guilty of supplying liquor to Mr Short when he was a noticeably alcohol-impaired person.

Today, Foley imposed a $500 fine on Selleck at Adelaide Magistrates Court, but did not record a conviction noting she was just 18 at the time and was “well-regarded” in the community.

Gardner was fined $9,000 convicting him of two counts of supplying liquor to Jason Short, describing him as “the driving force behind the hotel” and one of Firstlite’s shareholders and directors.

Firstlite, the holder of the hotel’s licence, was fined $6000 and also convicted of supplying alcohol to Short when he was noticeably under the influence of alcohol.

The hotel has since increased its training of staff and employed more workers in busy times.