Liquor, Gaming Charge (Press, 17 June 1976)

On 17 June 1976, Phillip Ronald Henley Brown, a 30-year-old man, was convicted of gambling and liquor charges related to a police raid at a hall on Marshland Road. During the raid, it was discovered that indecent films were being shown and a simulated sexual act was planned. Brown was fined a total of $100 in the Magistrate’s Court. He faced charges of conducting a common gaming house and managing premises for liquor consumption, to which he pleaded not guilty. Brown, although unemployed, claimed he was able to pay the fine. He informed the court that another individual facing similar charges had been fined earlier that day. The presiding Magistrate, Mr B.A. Palmer, decided to impose a fine of $75 for the gaming offence and $25 for the liquor offence. Additionally, an order was made for the confiscation of funds seized during the police raid; specifically, $250 found in a gambling bag. The police initiated the raid following information about gaming meetings held bi-weekly at the hall. On 14 May, three plain-clothes officers attended the function, where about 150 to 200 men were present. The venue was dimly lit and had a bar accessible to all attendees. Brown had promoted the event by announcing the screening of films, which one officer described as clearly pornographic. After the film, he announced that gambling would take place in a separate area of the hall. The illicit game involved the betting on 'unders and overs.' Following the gambling event, Brown indicated that more films would be shown alongside a live lesbian act, which prompted the police raid. Another man, Anthony Lynn Smith, aged 30, was also charged in relation to the incident and appeared before Mr F. Paterson, S.M. Smith, who was self-employed and served as the doorman at the event, pleaded guilty to helping run the gaming hall and supplying liquor. He was fined $75 for the gaming charge and $25 for the liquor charge. Police had found him taking tickets at the entrance and directing patrons to the hall, which contained significant amounts of liquor, particularly kegs of beer. Under questioning, Smith denied involvement in the hall's activities, attributing the management to another person. However, it was noted that he had $500 in his possession at the time. Defending Smith, his representative indicated that Smith sold tickets at $10 each and had no role in selling liquor. Smith was known for taking on doorman duties due to his strong physique and was a teammate of Brown in football but claimed he had not been paid for his work at the event.

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