Braddan Kirk Hartley accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of alcohol disputes value of goods

A Bunbury bar-tender who allegedly stole thousands of dollars worth of alcohol by drinking on the job has told the court he doesn’t agree with the allegations made. Braddan Kirk Hartley, 33, appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court on Thursday where he admitted his intent to plead guilty to a charge of stealing as a servant, but disputed the factual details. The court was told between April 24 and July 7, 2023, Mr Hartley had been working at Froth Craft Bunbrewery, where managers and staff observed him taking and consuming a variety of drinks — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic — during working hours, without consent or permission. Police say the offending happened on 35 separate occasions, in which the man made no attempt to pay for the beverages, reporting about $2300 of stolen goods. His actions were captured on CCTV. Representing himself at the bar table, Mr Hartley conceded his guilt saying he had been dealing with a drinking problem at the time, but argued the value of the stolen drinks to be “way out of proportion”. He told the court he believed the total to be $395. When asked where he got that figure from, Mr Hartley referred to the pub’s menu. The court did not take any official plea during the hearing, as it waits to confirm the amount of stolen goods and determine whether restitution is sought by the complainant. Mr Hartley will return to court on August 17 to enter his plea.