Terrigal: Melissa Buckley, Gary Dillon and Brittany Hamilton convicted of wild affray at pub

A drunken woman called another woman half her age a “lanky slut” in the main bar area of Terrigal Hotel sparking a wild brawl, a court has heard.

A single mum and a man old enough to be a grandfather have been barred from all licenced venues on the Central Coast for five years after their involvement in a wild affray at Terrigal Hotel in which drinks, punches and even a chair were thrown at patrons, a court has heard.

Melissa Buckley, 40, of Wamberal, and Gary Phillip Dillon, 65, of Terrigal, pleaded guilty to one count of affray at Gosford Local Court on Thursday.

According to an agreed set of facts the pair were drinking at Terrigal Hotel about 9.45pm on January 24 last year when Buckley for “unknown” reasons insulted a now 20-year-old Brittany Jayne Hamilton about her physical appearance “calling her names like ‘lanky slut’”.

This angered Hamilton who with a friend confronted Buckley before the three women were separated.

Buckley purchased a number of drinks and sat down with Dillon before Hamilton and two of her friends walked past and they exchanged words with someone throwing something at Buckley, which hit her on the arm.

“Instantly Buckley stands up, picks up a glass and throws it with force at the group,” the facts state.

“Several innocent patrons are seen to flinch. A number of items are thrown between both parties which include a chair, can of Redbull and handfuls of white medium sized pebbles.”

During this one of Hamilton’s friends, aged 18 at the time, was hit in the head with a glass causing an open wound.

Security and staff intervene but Hamilton is seen to rush towards Buckley and hit her in the face.

“Buckley and Hamilton then punch each other a number of times and rip each other’s hair,” the facts state.

Buckley (right) called the then 19-year-old Hamilton a `lanky slut’ which sparked the wild brawl in which Phillips (blue shirt) punched two young women in the face. Picture: NewsLocal

A number of people are kicked out of the hotel and Buckley takes off her shoes and “walked through broken glass” to the group at the front door where she punched an unknown woman to the face “causing her to fall down”.

The court heard Dillon, meanwhile, had been trying to separate the fighting parties before he was seen to punch Hamilton and one of her female friends, aged 18, to the face.

Police arrived and arrested Buckley who was later taken, along with another woman, to Gosford Hospital where they received stitches for cuts.

Magistrate Michael Antrum said Buckley’s level of intoxication was evident from her decision to walk barefoot across broken glass on the floor and not being able to remember the words “that started it all”.

“We tell our kids if someone does something stupid you walk away,” he told Buckley.

A magistrate Buckley, now aged 40, to “walk away” from trouble like she started at Terrigal Hotel. (File image)

Magistrate Antrum said Buckley and Dillon had received some additional punishment in being barred from all liquor accord venues on the Central Coast for five years.

However, he told Dillon given the 65-year-old’s health concerns he would be probably better off if he wasn’t drinking in pubs and clubs.

He said Dillon initially tried to go to the defence of Buckley but “went too far” when he punched the other two women in the face.

Magistrate Antrum convicted both Buckley and Dillon of affray and sentenced them to community corrections orders for 12 months.

Hamilton was also charged with affray and resisting police when she fled after officers arrived.

She pleaded guilty to both charges and was convicted, fined $550 and sentenced to a community corrections order for 12 months.