An exotic dancer’s body was discovered in the manager’s lounge at a strip club owned by the person who was fined $28,000 and told to revamp the club’s procedures.
In the early hours of December 18, 2016, 29-year-old British traveler Stacey Tierney was intoxicated with other employees at an after-work party at the Dreams Gentlemen’s Club in the Melbourne Central Business District.
She fell asleep on the floor in the venue’s lone room without CCTV, the basement lounge, about 5 am on December 19; when paramedics were ultimately contacted more than 24 hours later, at 11.45 am, she had already passed away.
Although Ms. Tierney’s death was determined to be the result of “multidrug toxicity,” questions still remain regarding why it took so long for the alarm to be raised despite other people entering and exiting the room.
On Thursday, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission released its disciplinary findings, noting numerous violations of liquor licenses in the period before Ms. Tierney’s passing.
The Commission discovered that alcohol was served outside of business hours, inebriated people were permitted to stay on the property, inebriated people were served alcohol, and the venue didn’t have enough supervision, codes of conduct, or “house rules” regarding drugs and alcohol.
Salvatore Aparo, the club’s owner, was found to be unfit to hold a liquor license at the time of Ms. Tierney’s passing.
Three months have been given to his business, Aparo Management Enterprises Pty Ltd, to pay $28,000 in fines for the violations.
Additionally, the operations of the strip club, including training, alcohol serving, and closure procedures, will be fully overhauled and reviewed every three months by a separate risk management consultant.
Additionally, a 24-hour alarm system will be installed, and if the alarm is not set within two hours of the business closing for the night, the owner will be notified.
Even though Mr. Aparo was not present when Ms. Tierney passed away, the commission ruled he was negligent in his oversight of the situation and insufficiently implemented safety measures.
The crew was reportedly known for drinking at the club on their days off.
According to Mr. Aparo, there was no policy prohibiting higher management from coming in on their night off.
He ran a construction company and handed up management of Dreams Gentlemen’s Club to others, stopping by occasionally.
He claimed to have been a “hands-off” owner, but that he is now an active manager who runs the Elizabeth Street club with his fiance.
The commission anticipates that venue personnel will return home safely at the end of their shift, according to VGCCC commissioner Danielle Hunter.
However, due to tragic circumstances, this did not happen for Ms. Tierney, and she was the recipient of their condolences.
Because there were no protocols in place to regulate the removal and consumption of alcohol, management and staff frequently drank in the manager’s lounge, which contributed to alcohol misuse and abuse.
However, Ms. Huntersmith added, “We understand the director’s regret and since 2017, he has had visibility into all business activities, including putting practices, rules, and procedures in place to protect workers, contractors, and customers.”
The general manager Stephen Kyriacou, the duty manager Giuseppe Crupi, and the recruitment coordinator Thomas Mesfun were all partying that night with Ms. Tierney.
Kyriacou, Mesfun, and Crupi were each given a 12-month management-free period by the commission, while Mesfun received a three-month ban.
The only room in the establishment not under CCTV surveillance belonged to the private manager, and according to authorities, the room had been cleaned before paramedics arrived.
Ms. Tierney had evidence of MDMA, cocaine, and heroin in her system, according to a pathology report.
Police questioned Mr. Mesfun and Joseph Berhe about Miss Tierney’s death after they were discovered in the same room as her, but they were later let off without being charged.
Miss Tierney came to Victoria when her boyfriend obtained a position as an engineer, it was revealed at a coronial inquest in Stockport, United Kingdom, in 2018.
She took trips throughout Australia before beginning work at Dreams Gentleman’s Club in November 2016 after her study visa was approved.
The inquest learned that although she was trying to save money for her studies and “the money was nice,” she had admitted to friends that she “didn’t like” working at the club.
It’s practically hard to determine what transpired in that room, according to Det Supt Estelle Matheson of the Greater Manchester Police.
“That room was the only location without CCTV footage.” She leaves that room and is never seen alive again.
The accounts provided were contradictory; although some details were similar, there were numerous inconsistencies.
Michelle Frost, Stacey’s mother, spoke at the hearing while sobbing and said, “I don’t think we will ever get the answers we desire.”
“I don’t know why they didn’t pick up the phone to call an ambulance,” they said.
David Frost, Stacey’s stepfather, said: “I find it difficult to understand why they never responded to any follow-up queries.
It’s really difficult to believe. We believed it to be standard police operation and believed that police from other nations cooperated.
It has been difficult for us to not know the answers to our inquiries, and we are perplexed.