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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Anna Falkenmire

A faked robbery, stolen guns and CCTV: Pino's Italian owner banned for life

Pino's Italian owner and chef Dion Pophristoff at the restaurant last year after announcing it was closing. Picture by Simone de Peak

THE CHEF and former owner of Pino's Italian has been handed a lifetime ban from managing any licensed venue after he was convicted of storing stolen guns inside the Islington restaurant.

Dion Pophristoff's web of lies began to unravel after a "largely fictitious" knifepoint robbery report he made to police in 2022 led officers to comb through CCTV from the Maitland Road establishment.

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