Garda superintendent accused of assaulting bar manager and racially abusing bouncer

Tom Tuite

The manager of a Dublin gay bar has told a court that an off-duty Garda Superintendent became aggressive, hit a phone out of her hand and racially abused a bouncer when asked to leave the venue.

Gavin O'Reilly, whose address is given on his summons as Phoenix Park, allegedly "bared his teeth" and "clenched his fists", Dublin District Court heard.

He is accused of assaulting Emma Parks at Strand Street Great, in the city centre, on the night of August 26th, 2023, and engaging in threatening, abusive, and insulting behaviour on the same occasion.

He denies the charges, and his non-jury trial opened before Judge John Hughes on Tuesday.

Ms Parks told prosecutor John Griffin BL that she was the manager of the Penny Lane bar at the time, and it was a busy night.

She recalled noticing the accused, in a body warmer, jeans and a T-shirt, standing on a ramp in the bar's courtyard between 9pm and 10pm. She said he was with two friends.

Her attention was drawn to the noise coming from the three men, despite the business and music in the bar.

Ms Parks said she continued to observe them and notified the door staff to keep a close eye on them.

She said they were shouting and singing and pulling at each other, and the accused was at one point leaning against railings behind him.

She had worked in pubs for 19 years, and it was her opinion that he was not able to stand without assistance.

She thought they had each bought one drink in the bar.

Ms Parks told one of the bouncers that it would be a good idea not to allow them to buy another beverage. When they were almost finished with their drinks, she used that as an opportunity to approach them and ask them to leave.

The witness said that she advised them to go, get a bite to eat and that they would be welcome back afterwards. The hearing was told that the three men left, exited and headed in the direction of Capel Street.

About a minute or two later, she said, Gavin O'Reilly returned, and she assumed he had forgotten something, and she asked him. She claimed he "got in my face".

She alleged the court told her, "You are never going to work again, I'm going to get this fucking place shut down, what's your name, what's your fucking name?".

She alleged he told her, "You're fucking done, you are fucking fucked", and his fists were clenched tightly and his teeth bared.

Ms Parks, who is 4ft 11 inches tall, said she leaned back to reclaim her space. She estimated that he was taller, around 5ft 5 inches.

Ms Parks said the accused told her he was a garda, "My name is Gavin O'Reilly and I'm a superintendent."

She said one of the door staff had noticed something was going on, and he walked over as she asked the accused to go to the gate.

Ms Parks alleged the accused called her a bitch and was telling her that she was finished or done, and "I was never going to work again".

The complainant said she could not understand because there was no animosity to suggest he would act that way earlier.

She maintained that the accused told her he knew the owner of the venue, Shane, and would be in touch with him.

Ms Parks alleged that he repeatedly told her she was done and would not have a job, and this continued for two or three minutes.

Another security man, from the nearby Pantibar, came over and said, "Come on, man, stop", she said.

At this point, Ms Parks claimed, the accused shouted, "Don't touch me, you black bastard" to the bouncer.

She said she told him that it was disgraceful and disgusting language, and she began to record on her phone.

Ms Parks told the hearing that she did not believe he was a garda or a superintendent and that she told him that if he really was, that was disgraceful.

She alleged he then hit the phone out of her hand, "he just swiped it downwards," and it smacked against the wall and then the ground.

She dialled the emergency number. Phone footage and the audio of her 999 call were played in court.

She did not need hospital attention, but her hand was red and in pain, and she put ice on it, and she said she took a week off work cause she was left feeling "very shaken".

Ms Parks also said she had never encountered aggression like that while working in pubs.

In cross-examination, Garnet Orange SC, defending, put it to her that she had exaggerated her evidence and that his client had returned to tell the owner, "Garda Gav was in" before matters kicked off and that Ms Parks "went for him".

He put to her that she was laughing at him and put her phone to his face and that the video evidence showed his client being dragged by door staff and that the accused was "roughed up" and she was hostile because he had the temerity to come back.

She rejected the defence suggestions and maintained her phone was mainly close to her chest.

The trial continues on Wednesday.