A former boss of the Western Australian Hotel chain has appeared in court due to charges by The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) that he breached his duties as a director and submitted false and misleading documents to the ASIC.

It is also alleged that Bryan Raymond Northcote, withheld information from the Compass Hotel Groups board (of which he was director at the time) in order to gain a financial advantage. The Sydney resident is the owner of a company that received $1.566 million in commissions dishonestly. The director faces up to 5 years in prison and/or a substantial fine of $220,000.

This incident is an important reminder to other directors of what is expected of them. Dishonest directors can expect to face the full arm of the law. Directors and publicans in general should take their responsibilities very seriously, including responsibility for the responsible service of alcohol in their establishments. Any dishonest dealings will not be tolerated by the law and so directors should ensure that all their dealings are above board.

Part of that responsibility includes ensuring that all staff employed in venues where alcohol is served are in possession of their Responsible Service of Alcohol Certificates, which can be easily and conveniently obtained by completing an online course now.