Peter Luke West pleads guilty to four charges in Coffs Harbour court after failing to leave Sawtell Hotel vicinity, resisting police

A Coffs Harbour earthmover has been forced to face court after he got “blind drunk” and caused a rough and tumble scene on Anzac Day. Here’s how it played out.

Peter Luke West struggled with police as they tried to march him away from the Sawtell Hotel, Coffs Harbour Local Court was told.

A Coffs Harbour Local Court magistrate was unimpressed by the drunken antics of a Bonville man who caused a scene at the Sawtell Hotel after being told to leave.

“You were blind drunk on Anzac Day at Sawtell,” Stephen Barlow told Peter Luke West.

Mr Barlow told the court West’s interactions with hotel staff and police smacked of “drunken defiance”.

“You’ve obviously got a complicated relationship with alcohol,” Mr Barlow told the court.

The manager of the hotel noticed West’s concerning level of intoxication and told him to leave the pub and the vicinity about 8.10pm on April 25, police state in court documents.

Peter Luke West outside Coffs Harbour Local Court.

The 35-year-old left the pub, but “repeatedly returned to the entrance” over the next hour only to be stopped by security.

About 9.10pm, West managed to “source” a bottle of alcohol from a patron leaving the premises with takeaway grog, and the manager called police.

Officers arrived about 10 minutes later and saw West standing outside with hotel security.

They asked West if the manager’s version of earlier events was correct.

West responded: “Yeah, but this prick thinks he owns the place.”

Police directed West to leave the area and officers took hold of his arm and “guided” him away when he failed to do so.

West responded by “thrashing his arms about and twisting his torso”, resisting police.

At the Coffs court on Wednesday, defence lawyer Carlo Bianchino said West was a man of “good character”.

He told the court West “should have gone home earlier”, but he feels “extreme remorse” for his actions.

West pleaded guilty to the charges of excluded person re-enter vicinity of licensed premises, refusing/failing to comply with directions and two counts of hindering or resisting police in the execution of duty.

Mr Barlow convicted West and fined him $1050.