A Sydney strip club owner has failed in a bid to overturn a ban preventing him from entering venues in the Kings Cross nightlife precinct, including his own businesses. Manthos Papadopoulos, who owns Sydney Elements and Showgirls, was subjected to the restriction in July after the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority acted on a request from New South Wales police, according to a decision published by the NSW civil and administrative tribunal.
Under the terms of the order, Papadopoulos is barred from entering or remaining in any high-risk venue across the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD entertainment precincts for a period of 12 months. Both of the establishments he owns have been classified as high-risk venues.
The tribunal was told that Papadopoulos was arrested on 15 March and charged with seven offenses, which included the serious indictable charge of intentionally choking a person without consent following an incident at Sydney Elements. Additional charges were filed later that month regarding other alleged incidents at both the club and his private residence.
Tribunal findings detailed that during one incident, Papadopoulos allegedly used his body to slap a heavily intoxicated staff member in the face. Further offenses were allegedly committed against that staff member and another employee at Sydney Elements. Papadopoulos intends to defend the charges, with a court hearing scheduled for March next year. During a police interview on 15 March, he made no admissions concerning the offenses and claimed that CCTV footage of the events was artificially generated and part of a conspiracy.
Papadopoulos also faces a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm stemming from an incident with a man he characterized as an intruder at Sydney Elements. The tribunal heard that the alleged victim was discovered inside the club before opening hours and was confronted by Papadopoulos, who allegedly pushed him against a wall, threw him to the ground, punched and stomped on his torso, and kicked him in the face with enough force to render him unconscious. A defended hearing for that matter is slated for next month.
In previous submissions to the liquor authority, Papadopoulos emphasized that he had entered not-guilty pleas and was entitled to the presumption of innocence. He described himself as a 53-year-old individual of good character with no prior convictions for violence. While police argued he presented a risk of reoffending, the court had not adopted those concerns due to the absence of bail conditions prohibiting him from visiting Sydney Elements.
Seeking a review of the long-term ban, Papadopoulos argued that the restriction severely impacted his livelihood by barring him from venues tied to his employment and business interests. He noted that the order was based on unproven charges still before the courts and maintained he possessed relevant evidence, such as CCTV footage and witness testimony, while also pointing out a $17 million investment in Sydney Elements.
Dr. Thalia Gordon, the senior tribunal member presiding over the case, acknowledged Papadopoulos' claims that the venues and his family relied heavily on his management and income. However, she noted he failed to provide logically probative evidence regarding his family's financial dependence. Gordon concluded there was a sufficient risk that his presence at Sydney Elements or Showgirls could provoke disruptive behavior and create difficulties for licensees and managers, leaving the ban in place until next July.