Kavon defends drink charges

Novak Pearce, the licensee of Kavon Theme Restaurant on Beaumont Street, has denied breaching Section 102 of the Liquor Act (2007) five times in 2009.

The Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing is alleging that Ms Pearce failed to comply with guidelines under the act by not stopping the sale of jelly shots and oversized cocktails.

Newcastle Local Court heard yesterday that undercover liquor office inspectors visited the restaurant on July3, 2009, after an officer saw the restaurant’s website promoting alcohol sales that it deemed did not comply with regulations.

After meeting a cast member named Rough Riff outside the restaurant, the undercover inspectors were taken to a table where they observed a table of young women being served one of the ‘‘Poison Punch’’ concoctions.

The court heard it included six 30-millilitre shots of alcohol with juice.

Inspector William Jago told the court there were also jelly shots, novelty plastic yard glasses and syringes, which were intended to produce ‘‘a quick form of intoxication’’.

But under cross-examination from Ms Pearce, Inspector Jago said he could not prove the large cocktail glass contained a ‘‘mocktail’’, or a non-alcoholic cocktail.

Two liquor officers returned to the restaurant on July 7, 2009, with a breach notice following the undercover sting.

The court heard Ms Pearce argued the jelly shots were similar to liqueur coffees served in coffee shops.

It was also alleged she had been given permission from police to sell the cocktails.

The officers agreed it would be hard to police a ‘‘Poison Punch’’ if six customers bought a shot each and were given a large glass to pour all of their drinks into.

The hearing before magistrate Mark Buscombe will continue on March 8.