An arrest warrant has been issued for a Tasmanian bar licensee after he failed to appear in court, due to be sentenced on nine charges.
Rocherlea man James William Hoyle, 33, the licensee of former Launceston watering hole Backstage Bar & Restaurant, was due in the Magistrates Court on May 30 for sentencing after he previously pleaded guilty to the charges.
However, he failed to appear, leading Magistrate Ken Stanton to issue a warrant for the defendant’s arrest.
The Mercury previously reported that Hoyle’s charges included drug driving, possession of methamphetamine, and other offences.
Hoyle was picked up by a mobile patrol on July 12 last year, where it was discovered he was driving with methamphetamine and cannabis in his system, court documents state.
The defendant told police he had taken a “line of speed” just shy of seven hours before driving.
He said he consumed cannabis and speed as it “allowed him to complete front/back of house at his own business,” the facts state. Hoyle has pleaded guilty to this drug driving charge.
In addition to his guilty pleas, he pleaded not guilty to a tenth charge, stealing a Toyota Hiace rental van from Budget Car Rentals.
According to court documents, police allege that Hoyle hired the van on June 12, 2022, agreeing to return it the next day.
After Hoyle allegedly retained the van, Budget reported it stolen on July 8 last year. A hearing into this charge will occur on August 10.
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Hoyle previously told the court he was under pressure due to his owing approximately $100,000 in rental arrears for Backstage, which has since closed permanently.
A relative of Hoyle’s told the Mercury that they had police officers knocking on their door on Friday night, searching for intel as to Hoyle’s whereabouts.