Smeaton publican rattled by ‘homophobic hate’ attack

It was late on a Friday night when James Consiglio stepped outside his pub to defuse an argument. The next day he was in hospital and unable to work.

Publicans Caleb and James Consiglio run the Cumberland Hotel in Smeaton.

A regional Victorian publican is unable to work after being hit by a car outside his own business in an attack thought to be motivated by homophobia.

James Consiglio, who runs the Cumberland Hotel in Smeaton with his husband Caleb, said the men who struck him with a ute last week exclaimed they were “coming to get you f-----s” and that their father would “come back and kill you”.

It was before midnight on Friday when Mr Consiglio, who prepares food at the venue, stepped outside the Cumberland to defuse an argument that had broken out between two groups of patrons.

Publicans James and Caleb Consiglio run the Cumberland Hotel in Smeaton.

One lot of men, who had been “causing trouble for a month” and had been kicked out of the pub on several occasions – including the night in question – then “intentionally clipped” Mr Consiglio with their vehicle and fled.

“I’ve been bullied throughout high school for being who I am, so to be married and be standing in 2023 with my husband … to get hit by a car is just pathetic,” Mr Consiglio said.

“This s--t still happens.

“We’re still facing homophobic hate.”

Police came from Bacchus Marsh, and Mr Consiglio soldiered on to work the following day.

He got through the lunch service with some difficulty, but an hour into dinner “went to open the oven and couldn’t get back up again”.

“My mother and one of my close friends had to – from what I’ve been told because I don’t remember it; I was in excruciating pain – had to carry me out of the kitchen,” Mr Consiglio said.

He was seen to at Ballarat Base Hospital and said his injuries consisted of nerve damage and possibly a concussion.

“It’s more the mental capacity that I’m struggling with,” Mr Consiglio said.

“It’s the concussion and the constant sleepiness and loss of train of thought that is not something that I’m coping well with.

“At the moment I’m not mentally in a capacity where I can focus on the craft, which is my food.”

The Cumberland Hotel in Smeaton in central Victoria. Picture: Supplied

The Cumberland Hotel, of which the Consiglios took charge about four months ago, remains closed given Mr Consiglio’s health.

“I’ve got no other home,” he said.

“This is my home, and I have to learn to feel safe and comfortable in my home again.

“My husband has to learn to feel safe again in his home.

“We are trying to be extremely good publicans: we’re trying our best to rebuild a community pub … People can try and wear you down and people can shout abuse at you, but you have to be the bigger person and you have to overcome it.”

Caleb and James Consiglio. Photo: The Cumberland Hotel

As for hiring security, Mr Consiglio said it was not something the publican pair wanted to introduce to their friendly establishment.

“That’s not what we’ve ever set up or wanted from our venue,” he said.

“We’re a very welcoming space: we don’t want this attitude of ‘boys will be boys’ and boys will throw punches and boys can be abusive.”

To those involved in the Friday night altercation, he added: “Your actions, no matter how big or small, do have severe consequences for people.”

Police said officers continued to look into the incident.