Sinking seven full-strength beers and telling others it was three light beers has led to a golf club member being tried on criminal charges in the Sydney District Court.
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Bernard Andrew Nash, 63, has pleaded not guilty to two charges alleging he intentionally lied on oath to two courts about his drinking at Shelly Beach Golf Club in October 2011.
He was acquitted of drink-driving in 2012 having told a magistrate he drank no more than three schooners of light beer at the club before driving home.
Nash had been pursued by a highway patrol officer on the short trip home.
But the law dictated he couldn't be breath tested on his property, where he was arrested.
Crown prosecutor Pat Barrett on Monday told a Sydney jury said Nash later sued police and the state for unlawful arrest, assault and malicious prosecution.
He was awarded a "substantial amount of damages" after telling Gosford District Court in 2014 he'd drunk three schooners of light beer.
"In fact, he drank seven schooners of Coopers Pale Ale full-strength beer and not Hahn Premium Light," Mr Barrett said, in his opening address.
"And ... he knew that what he was telling the court on each occasion was false."
The truth came to light after a club official who'd initially compiled footage of Nash's seven drink purchases contacted police in 2015 "because she was obviously concerned", Mr Barrett said.
The whole of that footage never made it to either court after the club's then-chief executive Craig Ellis intervened and produced his own cuts.
But there was a problem with the timing of Nash's "three" purchases.
"The first director's cut made it ... 3.50pm, 4.26pm and 5.34pm. This time, it was 3.50pm, 4.10pm and 4.26pm," Mr Barrett said.
"One of them was incorrect.
"Ellis also produced some membership ledger activity that had been edited."
Ellis was prosecuted for that conduct, the jury was told.
Nash is not facing a charge relating to the footage.
The Killarney Vale man also accepts the evidence he gave on oath at both proceedings was false.
"He disputes that he knew statements to that effect was false", Mr Barrett said.
The alleged knowledge of the falsity is expected to be the sole issue for the jury to determine, the Crown said.
Evidence is expected to come from 11 witnesses, text messages between Ellis and Nash, other documents and CCTV footage.
Nash's barrister, Irving Wallach, is expected to make an opening address on Tuesday.
Australian Associated Press
