Sydney man Lachlan McAlpine fronted a Sydney Court last week where he pleaded guilty to charges of intimidation over a drunken tirade he delivered last year.
The court heard that the 23-year-old man visited the Universal Hotel in Darlinghurst on 8 November last year with his family. He was twice asked to leave the premises because of his intoxication.
“Get the f–k out of my face or I’m going to smoke you,“ he told the staff member.
“It can go one way or the other, the police are outside,” the staff member told him. MCAlpine suggested that the staff member was making up the claim about the police being outside.
As officers escorted him from the venue he shouted at another employee “Are you a boy or a girl? You f–king f–got. I hate you gay c–ts.”
The victim later told police that they felt the comment was demeaning and offensive, specially as it was within a venue for the LGBTQ+ communities.
Appearing in court last week McAlpine represented himself and read out an apology letter to Chief Magistrate Judge Michael Allen, telling the court he had zero issues with the LGBTQ communities.
“I’m really sorry for what happened, I’m very ashamed of myself and my actions were unlike me,” he said. “I regret my behaviour. I’m embarrassed and the lack of respect was appalling.”
“I am a tradie, I finished TAFE last year, and am opening my own business with my partner, this will never happen again. I am happy to complete any alcohol and anger management courses.” he said, his comments reported in the Daily Telegraph.
The judge said McAlpine’s behaviour was a examle of “the ugly Australia” and suggested the young man needed to step outside his “privileged middle class world person role”.
He was sentenced to a 12-month conditional release order without a conviction.
