Fools fuelled

By Kelly Yates
POLICE say they are putting their safety in danger as a result of alcohol-fuelled violence at licensed venues in the City of Casey.
Senior Sergeant Gerry Hengel at the Narre Warren police station told the News the highly publicised violence in Melbourne’s CBD was also evident in Casey.
Acting Sergeant Stuart Pontil said a 20-year-old man was charged with drunkenness, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest following a brawl at the Berwick Inn on Sunday 26 July.
According to police, a fight broke out between a group of patrons and security at the venue.
Around nine police officers attended the incident at 8.30pm, with one officer being tackled to the ground by a patron.
Five people were arrested on the night and police are continuing investigations into the licensed premises, the security on duty and the patrons.
The constant violence in the City of Casey has sparked a Hampton Park mother to start a campaign to remove a Narre Warren club’s liquor licence.
Lynda Gould told the News Club 1422, which is just metres away from the Narre Warren police station, needed to be shut down after her son was king-hit from behind in the car park of the venue in 2007.
The 27-year-old received face and head injuries and was rushed to hospital.
“Since my son’s attack I have heard of two more instances where a young person has been hospitalised as a result of violence from activities and alcohol in the club,” she said.
A Narre Warren man made headlines last month after he was the victim of a serious assault at the club.
The 22-year-old was punched once in the face, with the blow shattering the left side of his jaw and also breaking bones on the right side of his face.
Casey detectives charged a 20-year-old Narre Warren man with recklessly causing serious injury and intentionally causing injury following the assault.
Ms Gould said now was the time to cancel the club’s licence to serve alcohol.
“If this club is a great place to be then the clientele will come to play pool and dance and listen to music. If it cannot draw people in without the lure of alcohol, it should be shut down,” she said.
Club 1422 owner Lorraine Samson has dubbed her venue the safest in the municipality.
“We have minimal trouble here. You can’t control the idiots and what they do,” she said.
“People like to play the blame game and alcohol seems to the easiest thing to blame.”
Ms Gould has written letters to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Premier John Brumby, Victoria’s police commissioner Simon Overland, the minister for policing, and local police seeking Club 1422 get their liquor licence removed.
Sen Sgt Hengel said police regularly visited and monitored licensed venues in Casey.
“In the past two years local venues Furnace in Narre Warren and Hotel Eden in Berwick have ceased trading as a result of issues with licensing,” he said.