Pub owned by family of ‘Karen’ from Brighton, aka Jodi Grollo, fined over disabled teen playing pokies

A security lapse at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel in Brunswick — owned by the family of Melbourne’s infamous Covid-era Karen — led to a disabled boy playing the pokies.

A lapse in security at a pub run by the family of “Karen from Brighton” led to a disabled teenager sneaking into a gaming lounge and bet on the pokies.

Lawyers for the company that owns the Duke of Edinburgh hotel on Sydney Rd, Brunswick, pleaded guilty to a single charge of allowing a minor to gamble, on the company’s behalf, at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.

“Karen”, whose real name is Jodi Grollo, of Brighton, is listed as an “approved associate” to her husband, Gianni Grollo, also of Brighton, on the company’s venue operators licence.

Ownership of the company ultimately lies with Mr Grollo, through a series of parent companies and a holding company.

Jodi “Karen from Brighton” Grollo, enjoying a refreshing drink: Instagram

Ms Grollo, who is a daughter of billionaire pub baron Bruce Mathieson, shot to fame during the pandemic when she criticised government restrictions on outdoor exercise, telling a television news crew, “You get sick of walking the same streets, I’ve done all of Brighton”.

Barrister Daniel Dober, on behalf of the Victorian Gaming and Casino Control Commission, told the court the Grollos’ venue was less to blame than others in the area, where the gambling addict teen became notorious for losing thousands of dollars on the pokies.

“Any contravention is serious, but within that category, it has to be accepted this is on the lower end,” Mr Dober said.

Neither Mr Grollo nor Ms Grollo were personally accused of any wrongdoing over the security lapse.

The company’s barrister, Christopher Sheen, said the lapse prompted crisis talks between the hotel and its security contractor, and the guard responsible was no longer working at the Brunswick venue.

“It occurred at 12am, when you would ordinarily expect that (teenagers) would not be out and about,” he said.

“He walked into the gaming area, placed a bet and walked out.”

The company behind the Duke of Edinburgh pub in Sydney Rd, Brunswick, admitted it allowed a disabled teenager to play the pokies. It is owned by Jodi Grollo, better known as "Karen from Brighton". Picture: Supplied

Mr Sheen said a manager who would normally have been overseeing the gaming area was helping pack up a function.

“It just happened at exactly the wrong time.”

Court documents reveal the teen lost more than $17,000 at different venues and on online sports betting accounts.

He funded his habit by stealing items from his distraught mum.

The mum has previously told the courts her son “had a small build, was lean and looked younger than most (teens his age).”

Karen From Brighton (Jodi Grollo) with a portrait of herself. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Sheen said the teen had tried to grow facial hair by the time he got into the Duke of Edinburgh.

Magistrate Brett Sonnet fined the company $2500, without conviction, and ordered it to pay almost $5000 in costs.

Punters lost more than $7m at the 50 pokies machines at the Duke of Edinburgh last year, according to public disclosures.