Sydney gay man on assault charge following fracas with Oxford St bouncers says he’s the victim

Sydney gay man on assault charge following fracas with Oxford St bouncers says he’s the victim
Image: (PHOTO: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer)

A GAY man who says he was assaulted by security staff outside a Sydney nightclub popular with the LGBTI community has himself been charged with assault following the incident.

However, ARQ Sydney – where the fracas occurred last week – has said they believe their security staff followed all the “correct procedures and protocols”.

[showads ad=MREC]Joshua Meadows alleged that after midnight last Saturday (August 15), he was refused entry to the nightclub, which is located just off Oxford St in Darlinghurst, after a security guard said he was intoxicated.

In a social media post which he encouraged people to share, Meadows admitted he had consumed alcohol that evening but at the time was “stone-cold sober”.

“I remarked that it was absolutely ridiculous and he should be ashamed of his behaviour,” he wrote.

“The security guard then physically grabbed me and tried to pin me against the wall.”

Meadows said CCTV footage showed he stepped away after “shrugging” the guard’s arms off. He said the guard then pushed him too the ground.

“The next few minutes involved multiple forms of physical assault,” Meadows wrote.

“A man twice my height and three times my weight applied all of it to my spine while I was crushed against the sidewalk.

“My throat is in considerable pain and swallowing is difficult after he made a concerted effort to suffocate me into unconsciousness with his hands, I have lacerations and bruises on both shoulders, my earring plugs were physically pulled out of my piercings, and my jaw is swollen from where I was repeatedly elbowed violently by the guard.”

Meadows posted images online of bruising to his body, which he alleged occurred as a result of the incident.

Police arrived on the scene and arrested Meadows who criticised the officers for, amongst other things, allegedly holding him for longer than legally allowed, refusing to breathalyse him and failing to take statements from witnesses at the scene – one of whom was his boyfriend.

NSW Police told the Star Observer that officers attended an incident around Oxford St at 12.30am that night “after a patron refused to leave the area when he was declined entry into a nightclub”.

“The 30-year-old man then allegedly assaulted two security guards,” police stated.

The man was taken to Surry Hills Police Station where he was charged with two counts of common assault and one count of excluded person remain in vicinity of licensed premises.

He will face court on September 10.

Police did not answer specific questions regarding Meadows’ allegations but solicitor David Newham told the Star Observer that police can only detain people for four hours for investigative purposes – unless they apply for an extension – but this initial period excludes legal visits or any time the police deem the suspect needs to sober up.

“The police have a duty of care to the person detained and they would not release them, for example, whilst still affected by a substance,” Newham said.

He also said the police were under “no duty whatsoever” to breath-test a person, unless driving a vehicle, and courts will usually accept evidence of someone’s intoxication based on an officer’s visual observations.

He cautioned anyone in a similar situation to not subsequently talk to potential witnesses as this could lead to their evidence being inadmissible and harm their case.

When it came to security staff, Newham said: “It is unlikely they are ever going to change their minds and allow you entry.”

“Simply leave to avoid any form of confrontation,” he added.

The Star Observer has not received a response from ARQ. However, a social media post from the venue said they took the safety of their patrons seriously.

“The procedure by contract security followed the correct procedures and protocols concerning the incident,” it read.

Meadows said while there were “great security guards doing a difficult, stressful and often dangerous job,” some were indulging in “atrocious and dangerous behaviour”.

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10 responses to “Sydney gay man on assault charge following fracas with Oxford St bouncers says he’s the victim”

  1. Anyone who knows this guy knows full well he probably was being a smarmy aggressive asshole and likely deserved it.
    It would have been an absolute pleasure to watch, Josh is a repugnant little entitled arsehole.

  2. I have to agree with the previous comment. I know the person in this story and he if often overly aggressive and doesnt treat people very well.

    You get what you deserve.

  3. I think you will find this individual has a history of aggression and public agro. Sometimes the police actually get it right.

  4. I can only say – NSW Police are so lame it beggars belief – I was in New York looking at an exhibition with David Bowie – I am friends with David Bowie and I was telling him how low and awful Sydney is with the lying trash they have as police – he said ‘that’s awful’ and then we looked at a photo of Divine – who in 1972 was at a pro fag rights rally in 1972 and she marched down the main drag in 1972 and said to police and everyone within earshot:
    ‘I can fuck and kill anyone I want – get the fuck out of my way’

    Now if she – Divine – God bless her -said this in Sydney imagine what would have happened – tragic loser police would have arrested and charged her – and for what – some bullshit loser charge – for which she would have needed legal representation and $ and for what end ??
    Sydney sucks dogs balls and there is no fun in Sydney thanks to NSW Police and their dog shit petty bullshit crap

  5. Well another chapter in lame ass Sydney and its stone dead club scene – it’s so sad – we have such lame ass cops who openly collude with bouncers – all they want is your money – and for what ? Real crimes ? No – the game now is to fuck up professional people who can’t afford petty stupid criminal convictions like a common assault with some lying pos bouncer – so that’s the game and police know it – Sydney and NSW police suck dogs balls and the Sydney scene is so dead it’s beyond sad

  6. I recommend Sydney Queens proudly boycott Arq – I want to know the name(s) of the scumbag lying piece of trash bouncers who are trying to pull this shit on this fine Sydney queen – hell hath no fury than a Sydney queen hard done by and I will not rest until these trash bouncers are exposed for the lying over the top a holes that they are – fuck u NSW police and ur role in this and fuck u Arq u lame ass wankers – u employ this lying trash who try to carry on with this bs – Sydney queens have had enough of this kind of bs and I am going to fly in from New York to shit on you Arq and your corrupt bouncers who collude with NSW police – who are a by word for lies and corruption

  7. Bottom line – Sydney nightlife has hit a dismal low – in almost every other city in the world club and pub patrons are welcome to have a few drinks and all us merry – but not in Sydney – u show any sign of intoxication – u even blink or trip on a word and bang ur drunk and ur fair game to be badged and fucked over – all Queens should boycott Arq – it’s very clear what has happened here – and then bouncers collude with corrupt NSW police to fuck over yet another gay person – Sydney stinks – word has got our far and wide – avoid Sydney – all that was cool is long gone – Sudney sucks – Tony Crandell and his corrupt crooked army of bullshit coppers have throttled Sydney to death and it’s not worth going out at all – boycott Arq / those lying pos bouncers are scum and deserve to rot in hell as should Tony Crandell and his corrupt mafia boss Don Scipione

  8. Here’s the short story on Sydney and NSW police and night club / pub charges:

    1. There is a roaring trade going on in Sydney amongst the lawyers – the police and the Courts and it’s around bs charges of common assault, afray and drug possession

    2. I can say without any doubt Sydney bouncers collude and co-operate and collude with police to ensure bs charges of common assault stick – I have seen this first hand – they write carefully edited statements of facts for the Courts

    3 NSW police – namely Tony Crandell and his corrupt minions – actively work to fuck over gay people and this is what they do for a living – rather than catch genuine criminals their target is to fuck over people who have never had any dealings with police – all they want us ur $ and that’s what it’s about – it shows they – NSW police are busy – prosecuting stupid trumped up charges – which is their specialty – it’s what they do for a living

    4. They love giving it to Queens – u protest and say how dare u – well guess what – these mother fuckers are professional ripoff artists and ur about to be done for a shit load of $

    5. So u choice is plead guilty and have a criminal record for the red of ur life – and a fine or hire a solicitor and get raped for fees u won’t believe – $5k only pays for a minimal Defence – $8k or $10k is really what it costs to defend urself

    6. What u really need is an SC – they will rip the police case apart and u will probably win – problem is they are $5500 a day plus gst – so 1 days prep and a day in court is $11k – my advice – good SC is worth the money and they will shred the police card but it will cost u – peter braham sc is fucking awesome and I used him

    7. If u use a good lawyer and u shred their case then u have a chance of winning costs – don’t bet on it but it could happen – u won’t get all ur costs but u’ll get most of it back

    8. Net net it slimy lying bouncers collude with police – and they do – they actually have meetings at goulburn police station to line up their bs stories – ur only real hope is to hire mega high cost lawyers to smash their bs tissue of lies case – but it’s a terrible road to take and there are no guarantees

    Net net Sydney is one of the lamest – most boring towns on the planet – NSW police are (mostly) organized mafia who funnel lots of work to the courts and solicitors who happily lap it all up – they all drink together and laugh at the gravy train they enjoy – it’s fucked up – the police and the bouncers skillfully lie in court and fuck u over – such a dead lame town is Sydney – it’s so sad

  9. i have just moved to New York City where it is not a crime to be a tad affected – or even a bit drunk. In Sydney lame ass bouncers have a zero tolerance for any signs of being affected by alcohol – and so my resting of this – somewhat drunk guy gets violently shifted by asshoke renegade bouncers who then lie and collude with police to trash this good chaps name – and this basic scenario plays out time and time again across Sydney – it creates lots of work for police – for magistrates and all the court officials – and asshoke lawyers – who are all drinking palls of police prosecutors – and so if u fight these bs charges expect to pay $10-15-20k and in the end u may ‘win’ but still be swamped in bullshit court and legal fees – net net NSW and the Sydney bar scene is dismal – they happily serve u drinks but show any sign of inebriation and ur toast – and if they like bouncers will throw you out and u end up in a right royal mess. We found NSW police to be a corrupt bunch of scheming asshole liars and so we left Sydney – In New York City u can be as drunk as you like – just don’t vomit and if you do – you will be caringly escorted off the premises vs the bullshit and lies you cop in Sydney