Dad Slams Pub For Refusing A Pint To Disabled Son On His 18th Birthday

A Father has slammed his local bar after they refused to serve his disabled son a pint on his 18th birthday, branding it 'discrimination'

According to Jim Green, his son Hadyn, has autism and development delay. He is a resident of Wimborne in the Dorset town of Dorset.

The argument started when the father casually mentioned to pub owner Geoffrey Mockford that he would have to limit Hadyn to two drinks because of his condition before the family reserved the space to celebrate his 18th birthday on December 17.

Credit: Jim Green

However, Jim has not been back since the incident scared him and the landlord allegedly said he "might not be able to serve him at all."

The dad left for home and the couple resumed their text exchange when he replied that he would have to serve him because he would be turning 18, according to The Sun.

The landlord appears to have said that he felt he could not serve Hadyn because he was "not a normal 18-year-old" in the screenshots that the father posted.

He continues by asserting that this is a regular procedure that has already been applied to another client: 

"He has a lower mental capacity for his years. It would be like giving alcohol to a 9-year-old and it is my business I need to show due diligence".

"I do it for somebody else he only has half a bitter shandy because of his mental capacity."

Credit: Google

He continued by insisting that Jim should be worried "as a parent" about his drinking since he would "not be able to deal with it".

Jim argued by saying that Haydn is "an adult in the eyes of the law" and is capable of making an educated decision regarding his alcohol consumption because he has been provided with "all the information" and is aware of all the risks.

Geoffrey Mockford made the decision as the pub owner that the 18-year-old "may be a danger to himself if he consumes too much". 

When he contacted Hall and Woodhouse, the brewers for The Dorset Soldier, they assured him they stood by that decision.

According to them, this seemed to be "in line with the licensing objectives, and not based on discrimination."

The celebration continued as planned on December 17 despite the argument because it was too late to change the location and the pub refused to provide Haydn with any alcoholic beverages.

Since then, Jim has claimed to The Sun that he views the pub's choice as "blatant discrimination" and claims he hasn't been back.

He asserts that there hasn't been a problem with his son being served at other establishments he has visited and vows to "keep fighting" for his son's access to a pint.

Mockford refuted some of Jim's claims, saying to The Sun: 

I am just exercising my right as a licensee, I can refuse to serve anyone I don't have to give a reason, it's the law.

He was drinking on his 18th birthday, and I have not refused him service.

I just think he should be having shandy rather than lager.

I have got to think of customers as well as him, I am just doing my job, he could be a danger to himself and others.

He has a mental age of 8/9 years old I don't understand why as a responsible parent you would want to encourage him to have alcohol.