hmm i dont know. It sort of falls with both. Once people get drunk they are kind of like retards, they make poor decisions that arent in their best interests.
For one, publicans should be cutting people off that get rediculously drunk. Its irresponsible to continue serving them alcohol when they are almost passed out in their seat, even if they want it.
If someone hands in their keys because they know they will be drinking and when they drink they sometimes try and drive home, they are being responsible. Its still not all on the publican, but anyone would know that a man who just had 8 beers and then asks for his keys is about to drive home drunk and you are enabling that behaviour by handing it over. If someone who is suicidal asks me for a gun, its not like i will then lend them mine, no questions asked[not the greatest metaphor, but you get the idea]
Indeed. Then the publican is violating the person's property rights.
IF it had happened like that. IF some drunk retard was waving his keys around bragging about how he was about to drive off drunk or something really obvious like that, i would say the publican has a responsibility to talk to him, try and get the keys off him and as a last resort, call the police. You cant really pin them down and steal their keys, but you probably can detain them [something about releasing too many drunk idiots on the sidewalk at once? idk i remember some bouncers saying they have a right to detain people for a short amount of time if they are going to be a problem once they get outside] you can convince them to hand them over using trickery, make direct threats about calling the cops if he leaves with them in hand, heaps of stuff.
Still, the retard chose to ask for his keys back and chose to drive home, and believe it or not, we are responsible for our actions, even when drunk. So he is at fault and the publican deserves a fine or a slap on the wrist or something thats not too severe but still a good warning.