The barman who served a cocktail of shots to a hotel guest who died of alcohol poisoning believed the drink would be shared with his friends.

Gary Wright, 34, was bar manager and Aidan Dalton, 31, was a barman at Hayes Hotel in Thurles on 30 June 2008 when Englishman Graham Parish, a guest at the hotel, died of acute alcohol poisoning.

Mr Dalton said he would never have served Mr Parish the mix of drinks in one glass if he realised he would slam it down.

The civil engineer was celebrating his 26th birthday and had been drinking heavily with five British contractors in the hotel before downing two pints of Guinness with shots in them.

A judge and jury at Nenagh Circuit Court heard statements that were taken from the co-accused by investigating officers.

Mr Dalton told gardaí he asked his bar manager if it was okay to serve about ten shots in a glass to Mr Parish, whose nickname was Shaggy as he had never served more than a triple in the past.

‘Shaggy's friend bet him to drink it and he was fully aware what was in the pint glass,’ the statement read.

‘I asked Gary if it was okay to give him a pint glass of spirits. He said it was okay... it was just a bit of fun.

‘I then served this drink to Shaggy.’

He was found dead from acute alcohol poisoning the following morning.



In a later interview Mr Dalton told officers he believed the mix of drinks was going to be passed around the group to share.

‘If I realised he was going to slam it I wouldn't have served it,’ the statement added.

He also said he did not receive any training about the risks of alcohol consumption from Hayes Hotel.

This is the first case of its kind under Liquor Liability laws.

The trial continues before a jury of six men and six women.

