Bar staff accused of killing ‘party trick’ man who drank ten shots in one glass

Father-of-two Graham Parish was celebrating his 26th birthday when he slumped off his bar stool in the Hayes Hotel in Thurles, Co Tipperary, in the Irish Republic on June 30, 2008.

He was carried from the bar to a conference room where he was found, with vomit on his face, by a night porter at 6.15am the following morning.

Bar manager Gary Wright and barman Aidan Dalton have both denied the manslaughter of Mr Parish, who lived in Nelson, east Lancashire, and worked for an installation firm in Skipton.

The case is the first of its kind under liquor liability laws in Ireland.

Paddy McCarthy, senior counsel for the State, told a jury at Nenagh Circuit Court the pair were accused of gross negligence that caused the death of Mr Parish.

“The final drink served by the barman and okayed by the manager was eight to ten spirits in a pint glass,” he said.

The dead man’s parents David and Julie and sister Jess bowed their heads as Mr McCarthy said Mr Parish died from acute alcohol poisoning.

The barrister said Mr Parish - who was working in the area with colleagues - had been drinking Guinness for more than three hours before one vodka shot was put in his pint which he drank in one go. Two vodka shots were put in another pint he drank, he added.

Mr McCarthy said: “Some competition went on and he (Mr Parish) said he could down ten spirits in a pint glass before his colleagues could down their pint.

“The barman filled it up, asked the manager and the manager gave the ok for the purpose of serving it.

“He downed the drink in one go.”

Mr Parish was employed by Reliant Installations Ltd in Skipton. He had arrived in Thurles on the afternoon of June 30 2008 for a job at Dew Valley Foods Ltd in Thurles.

Witnesses told the court Mr Parish - nicknamed Shaggy - had a “party trick” and challenged five other British contractors that he could drink a pint the quickest.

Electrician Craig Bateson said Mr Parish then told the lads if they picked two shots each he could down them faster than anyone.

“It was put on the table and Graham drank it... about ten minutes later he seemed to slump on his bar stool and fell to the floor,” he added.

Mr Bateson said Mr Parish was drowsy but smiling and trying to open his eyes as four of them attempted to carry him to his room on the second floor shortly after midnight.

But they left the pipe fitter, who was over six foot tall, on his side in the recovery position in a conference room at the top of the stairs on the first floor.

They went for food and checked on Mr Parish, who was snoring, before they went to bed.

A barrister for Mr Dalton claimed the barman thought the shots were being shared among the group and that he was not aware of the challenge.

“I believe he was,” replied Mr Bateson, from West Yorkshire.

Marcus Ludwell, who worked with Mr Parish, said he paid about 40 euro for the round of shots, which was served by the barman and downed by his colleague.

The co-accused, Mr Wright, 34 and Mr Dalton, 28, are both from Kilfithmone, Borrisoleigh in Co Tipperary.

Earlier hotel porter Philip Mahoney said he had checked on Mr Parish twice in the conference room before 2.30pm but believed he had gone to bed shortly after when he heard a noise on the first floor.

He looked in again after 6am when he got a smell like someone had soiled themselves.

“I checked for a pulse when I went back upstairs and didn’t get one,” said Mr Mahoney.

“I shook him and saw vomit on his lip I called the guards and the ambulance.”

Mr Parish was pronounced dead at 7.15am.

The case continues today.

If convicted, the pair face a minimum suspended sentence, up to a maximum sentence of life in jail.