'Basement beating' at Ivy - Sydney Morning Herald
Justin Hemmes ... the latest incident comes nearly three months after he was held at gunpoint at another of his Sydney hotels, The Excelsior. Photo: Wade Laube
- Ejected group return to Ivy and fight starts
- One man allegedly taken to basement and beaten
- Management ordered cleaning of crime scene: police
- Hemmes to challenge court order
- Ivy and the bar tsar
Justin Hemmes's nightspot Ivy reopened for business this afternoon after the Supreme Court quashed a 72-hour closure order following a vicious assault on a man at the weekend.
Police had been granted a "notice of urgent short term closure order" of the popular George Street venue under section 82 of the Liquor Act after security guards allegedly kicked, punched and gagged a man, with hotel management accused of ordering the crime scene to be cleaned before police arrived.
A sign outside Ivy today.
But this afternoon, Justice Peter Johnson quashed the order after police and Mr Hemmes' company Merevale agreed to consent orders.
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Outside the court, the licensee of the Ivy, Justin Tynan, said he was not on duty during the incident which allegedly occurred around 1.30am on Sunday morning.
Order to close for 72 hours ... The Ivy in George Street.
A spokesman for Merevale, Tim Allerton, said the company was pleased the nightspot could reopen immmediately.
Police have formed Strike Force Goldsworthy to investigate the alleged assault and cleaning of the crime scene before forensic officers arrived.
A group of men were ejected from Ivy about 1.30am, but returned and a fight with security guards started, police said.
A 19-year-old man was separated from his friends and allegedly held down, kicked, punched and gagged before being taken to a basement where the attack continued.
Police and paramedics were called about 2am and the man was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with serious facial injuries.
"The forensic examination of the area was hampered after hotel management allegedly ordered the crime scene be cleaned before police arrived," a statement from NSW Police said.
Two men, aged 24 and 30, who were working as security guards were arrested and charged with wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent. The 30-year-old man appeared in Parramatta Bail Court yesterday and was remanded in custody to reappear in Central Local Court tomorrow. The 24-year-old man was conditionally bailed to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday 20 September 2011.
A statement from the Hemmes family company the Merivale Group said the men allegedly involved had been suspended and the owners would challenge the order in the NSW Supreme Court today.
"We are assisting police with their enquiries and have suspended the security staff involved in the incident until the conclusion of a full investigation by the police and Merivale management," the statement said.
"We have initiated a full review of our security protocols and employment policies to ensure the continued safety of our patrons.
"This is the first incident of this nature that has occurred at Ivy since it opened four years ago.
"As there is an ongoing police investigation, we can not make any further comment at this stage."
Police are appealing for anyone who was in Ash Street or Palings Lane about the time of the alleged assault to come forward.
The incident comes nearly three months after Justin Hemmes was held at gunpoint at another of his Sydney hotels, The Excelsior.
29 Aug, 2011--
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