Former Thoroughbred hotel licensee John Allen convicted of assault and drug offences
The former licensee of a popular Upper Hunter hotel has been sentenced to a two-year intensive community corrections order over drug and assault offences.
John Allen was arrested in May after selling three small quantities of cocaine to undercover police officers at the Thoroughbred Hotel in Scone.
The 37-year-old was one of three men arrested as part of an investigation into cocaine supply ahead of the Scone Cup, the richest regional horse racing event in Australia.
Allen was also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault, over a brawl at the Thoroughbred, in Kelly Street, in August last year.
He was intoxicated at the pub while not working, and was involved in an altercation where he grabbed a man by the shoulder and kicked a woman in the chest while she was on the ground.
Allen was sentenced at Muswellbrook local court today.
He initially pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, then changed his plea to guilty.
Several charges against him were withdrawn at the start of the sentencing hearing, including three counts of possess prohibited drug, three counts of supply prohibited drug (small quantity), and licensee permit sale of suspected prohibited plant/drug.
Defence lawyer Craig Robinson spoke about how Allen was under intense stress during the pandemic and trying to manage a hotel that was running at a financial loss by himself, not long after the deaths of both his parents.
He also argued his client had been put through extra-curial punishment by having "his name splashed all over the media".
When considering the charges, Magistrate Kevin Hockey said he took into account there were no further drugs, bags or cash found during a police search at the Thoroughbred to indicate an ongoing operation, and Allen had sold small amounts of cocaine that he used personally to the officers.
"You are on the brink of me sending you to full-time jail," Mr Hockey said.
Allen was sentenced to a two-year intensive community corrections order, which includes 250 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay a total of $2,600 in fines.
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