Tomic ‘never out of line’
Bar staff leap to defence of tennis ace
BAR staff at a popular Surfers Paradise nightclub say tennis star Bernard Tomic and his friends have never caused any trouble.
Their comments come after Tomic broke his silence on a police probe into an alleged drink-spiking episode in which allegations have been made against one of his “hangers on”.
Police are investigating a complaint by 21-year-old Gold Coaster Paige McCarthy that she was a victim of drink spiking at The Bedroom nightclub in Surfers Paradise on Sunday night.
Ms McCarthy’s parents made a public post to Facebook on Monday, warning people to watch out for drinkspiking, saying she ended up in hospital after a friend found her passed out in the venue’s bathroom.
The post claims Tomic was in the venue on the night and someone in his entourage “did it” – but Tomic has told the Gold Coast Bulletin up to 20 people ended up in his booth that night and he hardly knew any of them.
There is no suggestion Tomic was involved in any way or had any happened.
Tomic was out partying in a VIP booth in Surfers Paradise nightclub Sin City with his glamorous Melbourne girlfriend Emma Blake-Hahnel on Wednesday night.
Tomic confirmed to the Gold Coast Bulletin he was at The Bedroom on the Sunday night but added there ended up being about 20 people in his booth at one point and he hardly knew any of them. idea it even
Tomic said if any media published anything inaccurate he would sue for millions.
Asked when he would be getting back on the tennis tour, the one-time world No. 17 – now ranked 174 – said: “I just made a million dollars for four days on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. I just bought another house. I’m buying everything on the Gold Coast.”
Tomic added that he hoped to get back to the pro tennis tour in “three or four weeks”.
Bar staff told the Gold Coast Bulletin Tomic was never any trouble when he came into the venue. “When he comes in, it’s actually quite good. He just stays up there (in a VIP booth) and does his own thing. He pays, he never gets out of line,” one staffer said.
Another added he often seemed to have “a lot of hangers on” around him.
“He’s an all-right kid, he’s a bit socially awkward but he’s had a hard and different upbringing, that’s all it is.”
Another bar staffer said the Tomic he knew would have nothing to do with drink spiking or anyone who was involved in something like that.
Matt Keegan, a director of Artesian Hospitality which owns The Bedroom nightclub, told the Bulletin the venue had supplied CCTV footage from the night to police.
“Since Sunday, staff have thoroughly reviewed the CCTV footage which tracks the patron throughout the night,” he said. “Our review ... revealed no indication of drink spiking by any third party in the venue.”
Police said yesterday they were continuing to investigate the alleged incident.
I JUST BOUGHT ANOTHER HOUSE. I’M BUYING EVERYTHING ON THE GOLD COAST BERNARD TOMIC