Police have laid a series of serious charges against three men following an alleged violent confrontation at a licensed venue in the Hunter region over the weekend, which left four other men requiring hospital treatment.
Police Respond to Late-Night Disturbance
Officers from the NSW Police Force were called to a venue on Lings Road in the suburb of Buttai shortly before midnight on Saturday, January 10, 2026. The call was in response to reports of a large-scale brawl unfolding on the premises.
Upon arrival, police were informed that the incident involved three men allegedly assaulting four other men. It was further reported that one of the three alleged aggressors was armed with a knife during the altercation.
Arrests and Serious Charges Laid
The three men, aged 29, 33, and 37, allegedly attempted to leave the scene in a vehicle but were intercepted and arrested by attending officers. All three were taken to Cessnock Police Station for questioning.
The most serious charges were levelled against the 37-year-old man. He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, choking, affray, and stalking/intimidating offences. He was refused bail and appeared in a bail court on Sunday, January 11, with bail formally denied. His case is scheduled for Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday, March 18.
The 33-year-old man faces three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, along with single counts of affray and common assault. He was also refused bail and will face Cessnock Local Court on January 21.
The youngest of the trio, a 29-year-old man, was charged with common assault and affray. He remains in hospital under police guard and is set to appear before a bail court on Monday, January 12.
Multiple Victims Hospitalised
The four men who were allegedly assaulted, aged 52, 57, 61, and another whose age was not specified, were all transported to hospital for treatment of their injuries. The extent of their injuries has not been publicly disclosed.
NSW Police have confirmed that inquiries into the incident are continuing as investigators piece together the full sequence of events that led to the violent outbreak.
The incident has cast a spotlight on security and behaviour at licensed venues in the region, with local authorities likely to review the circumstances surrounding the alleged brawl.
