Boddington Hotel and its employee face court on 25 charges, including contravening licence terms last year

A 111-year-old Wheatbelt pub and one of its employees allegedly contravened licence terms and permitted alcohol consumption outside of trading hours last year, a court was told. Boddington Hotel employee Jayda Moana Toia failed to appear in Narrogin Magistrates Court on February 3 for her first hearing to face 25 charges. The 20-year-old’s charges include three counts of permitting drunkenness on licensed premises, two counts of acting in any way that contravenes act-term-condition of license-permit and 20 counts of permitting liquor to be consumed outside of trading hours. Defence lawyer Peter Fraser represented the Boddington Hotel 2004 Pty Ltd in court on February 3 in relation to the same 25 matters, plus an additional four charges. These included failure to maintain a register of persons who have successfully completed required training or assessment, failure to comply with requirement of an authorised officer requirement, and two counts of failing to register incidents on the premises. Established in 1915, the Boddington Hotel has served as one of the townsite’s main social hubs for more than a century. Ms Toia’s offending is alleged to have occurred between September 6 and 7 last year. The Boddington Hotel charges are alleged to have occurred between September 6 and 30. Mr Fraser, who represented both Ms Toia and the Boddington Hotel, appeared via audio link on behalf of both his clients. When Boddington Hotel’s matters were called, Mr Fraser asked if Ms Toia’s matters could be also be called to the stand as the charges were connected, and it was revealed she had not attended court. Mr Fraser requested to adjourn the matters for legal advice. Magistrate Rosemarie Myers chose to adjourn the matter despite Ms Toia’s non-appearance, and put her on a notice to attend the next hearing. Ms Toia and the Boddington Hotel will next appear on April 7 for legal advice.