A Sydney pub has been ordered to give its staff more training in responsible service of alcohol after an investigation into high-profile rugby league journalist Paul Kent being allowed to drink 21 schooners of beer there on the day he ended up in a street fight.
Kent, who co-hosted NRL 360 on Fox Sports and wrote for The Daily Telegraph, lost his job with News Corp as a result of the altercation in April last year, over which he was charged with affray and pleaded guilty.
The Sackville Hotel is owned by the Solotel group, which owns other popular pubs in Sydney.Credit: Edwina Pickles
The Sackville Hotel in Rozelle, where he had spent the afternoon and evening before the late-night brawl outside a nearby restaurant, has subsequently come under scrutiny.
Liquor and Gaming NSW conducted a probe into the venue’s responsible service of alcohol after a Sydney court was told that Kent had drunk 21 glasses of beer.
The schooners were not full-strength, according to the regulator.
“Liquor and Gaming NSW has completed an investigation following a complaint regarding the Sackville Hotel, where a patron consumed an excessive amount of mid-strength beer over an 11-hour period on April 27, 2024,” a spokesperson said.
“The investigation determined that the patron did not display obvious signs of intoxication to staff, and most of the drinks consumed were purchased by other individuals.”
The industry watchdog said that due to concerns regarding the responsible service of alcohol on the day in question, the venue had been handed an enforceable undertaking under the state’s Liquor Act.
“This requires the venue to conduct additional in-house RSA training with all employees engaged in the service of alcohol and update its plan of management to prevent similar incidents in the future,” the spokesperson said.
“Liquor and Gaming NSW is committed to ensuring compliance with RSA laws and works closely with licensed venues to promote community safety.”
Paul Kent was a co-host on Fox Sports.
The Sackville is owned by the Solotel group, which owns other popular Sydney pubs, such as the Golden Sheaf in Double Bay, the Clock Hotel in Surry Hills, the Courthouse Hotel in Newtown, and the Opera Bar at Circular Quay.
A spokesperson for The Sackville said it had already taken action after last month receiving an enforceable undertaking that recommended additional RSA training.
“We accepted these recommendations fully, rolling out a comprehensive RSA training refresher for the team and updating our management plan accordingly,” the spokesperson said.
“We’re always evolving our procedures and training to meet the highest standards of compliance, and that commitment remains ongoing.”
Kent brought unfair dismissal proceedings against News Corp, his long-time former employer, after his sacking last year, alleging his abrupt termination was unjustified, and he had been denied the opportunity to give his version of events.
The media giant denied his claims in its filing to the Fair Work Commission, saying it was entitled to dismiss him summarily and arguing that his conduct had damaged the company’s reputation.
Kent, who spent time as a foreign correspondent and wrote books on cross-code superstar Sonny Bill Williams and boxing legend Johnny Lewis, has been absent from the NRL commentary landscape since facing court over last year’s incident, which he attempted to have dealt with on mental health grounds.
But he has unveiled plans to return for the upcoming season by launching his own podcast.
In a self-deprecating move, the logo for the eponymous program features an image of a tree on a football, a nod to the roadside trunk he ended up against in the melee last year. A promotion for the podcast shows him in conversation with his friend and colourful former rugby league identity, John Elias.
“Paperbark writer,” Kent referred to himself jokingly on a recent appearance on the podcast of former Test cricketer Mike Whitney.
“It came out [that] I had 22 beers,” he added, overstating his intake slightly. “I found out that my limit is 21.”
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