Accused bouncer biter ‘went a bit mental’

A 30-year-old Queenstown man has been charged with two counts of assault after he allegedly punched a bouncer and bit another when he was asked to leave a Queenstown bar.

Sergeant Blair Duffy, of Queenstown, said police were called to Searle Lane and Social bar at 1.30am on Friday after the man caused an altercation. He had been asked to leave because of his intoxication level.

The man punched one of the bouncers in the head and then bit another who had gone to his coworker’s aid, Duffy said.

Searle Lane and Social bar manager Jessica Ganhao said the bouncer had not suffered any major injury after being bitten.

It was not the first time a bouncer at the bar had been bitten.

‘‘It happened once or twice last winter,’’ Ganhao said.

Since then bouncers had adopted a ‘‘friendlier’’ approach to customers, she said.

Instead of saying customers were ‘‘banned from beers’’ and asking them to leave, the bouncers warned customers before they entered not to be offended if they were asked to drink water for 30 minutes or refrain from drinking shots.

‘‘He [the weekend offender] was just a bit of a crazy one, and went a bit mental,’’ she said. ‘‘It didn’t go so well for this guy.’’

The man will appear in the Queenstown District Court next week to face the charges.