THE Watersplash has been fined for allowing out-of-hours drinking outside the nightclub.

The manager, 38-year-old Alan Porter, and Ronald Satchell, representing Watersplash (2004) Ltd, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to answer a charge of contravening the terms of the licence on 12 October. Porter was fined £400, which the court heard would be covered by the company, and Watersplash (2004) Ltd was fined £800.

However, defence advocate David Benest criticised the conduct of the members of the police licensing unit who captured the events of 12 October on video at the Five Mile Road club. He accused the police of being seemingly more interested in observing the offence to obtain a conviction of the Watersplash than in policing. He said that instead of videotaping the scene the police should have been helping the manager and staff to police the area.

Pictured: The outside eating area at the ‘Splash