Convicted bouncer gets lucky

A bouncer who assaulted a man at a Christchurch strip club escaped having his security licence revoked due to a police ‘‘oversight’’.

Alfonso Blakelock is still licensed with the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority (PSPLA) despite punching a patron at Calendar Girls on November 16, 2018, and pushing him down the stairs.

He was sentenced to 150 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision on a charge of assault with intent to injure.

All crowd controllers, such as bouncers at clubs, are required to hold a licence or certificate of approval with the PSPLA.

Being convicted of a violent offence is grounds for having that licence disqualified, but this was never done in Blakelock’s case.

Police were not immediately aware of the need to examine Blakelock’s licence after the conviction, a spokesperson said.

‘‘However, the matter ought to have been followed up more efficiently than it was, and police regret this oversight. Police will be looking to follow up in order to rectify this matter and identify how the oversight occurred.’’

The police said based on their knowledge, Blakelock was no longer working in security.

Blakelock told Stuff there was ‘‘a full 45 minutes in between me asking them to leave the club and then me losing my temper’’, but would not comment further. The victim suffered cuts and bruising to his face and chest, as well as headaches and dizziness.