‘I was like ‘what the hell’’: Bartender bitten on the shoulder by ‘hostile’ female patron at Darwin venue

A bartender has recalled the horrifying moment he was bitten by a patron sporting a conspiracy theory group T-shirt at a Darwin venue.

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A BARTENDER has recalled the horrifying moment he was bitten by a female patron sporting a local conspiracy theory group T-shirt at a Nightcliff venue last Saturday night.

The staff member, who did not want to be named or identify his employer, said the woman was “being a nuisance and pestering patrons” for several hours when he and another staff member approached her and asked her to leave the premises.

He said the woman, who had been drinking with a small group of friends with matching T-shirts, became “hostile” when they escorted her out the door.

“As we were walking her I started to see her head move forward and I felt a pain in my shoulder,” he said.

“I looked down and realised she’s biting me.

“It really hurt.”

The bartender said he quickly tried to pull her off his arm after he realised what was going on, but it wasn’t before she had sunk her teeth in.

“I was like ‘what the hell’,” he said.

“I was just surprised mostly.”

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The bartender was told by others who witnessed the incident that the woman had “been a problem around Darwin” for some time, and had also spat in the face of a bartender at a different venue previously.

He said having spent the last two years working at Darwin nightclubs, he was taken off guard because the incident occurred at a venue where patrons are usually “well-behaved”.

“I’d expect more to get bitten at a nightclub than here.”

He said he was in the process of filing an incident report with his employer.

The staff member said when he found out about the group she was associated with, which opposes Covid-19 vaccinations and mask-wearing when it was required by law, he was taken aback.

“My friends told me what that stand for and I thought ‘Oh, they’re idiots’,” he said.

“Stupid, stupid people.”

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