On the evening of Saturday, July 21, 2018, police were called to investigate a disturbance between patrons at the venue.

Carl Schmidt, the 37-year-old manager of the Commercial Hotel in Walcha, was charged with and pled guilty to the offence of affray; and was sentenced in Armidale Local Court on December 11, 2018. 

Schmidt was given a conditional release order for 12 months with no conviction recorded.

Charges against another Walcha man in relation to the incident were withdrawn in court on the day.

During the investigation, a number of licensing breaches were detected by police while they viewed the CCTV footage from the evening and subsequent action was taken by them against the licensee.

Deon John Lawrence, a 58-year-old Walcha man who was the approved manager and licensee of the Walcha Bowling and Recreation Club at the time of the incident, was sentenced in Armidale Local Court on January 10.

Lawrence pled guilty to three matters. 

For the offence of allowing as a registered club unlawful use of club premises, he was fined $800.

For the offence of selling liquor to an intoxicated person he was fined $1,100, and for permitting intoxication on licensed premises, he was also fined $1,100.