Case No. 1024Public order (threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour) · Co. Dublin · 26 Aug 2023
Garda superintendent convicted of public order offence after bar incident in Dublin
Off-duty Garda superintendent Gavin O'Reilly, 41, from Cavan, was charged with assaulting Emma Parks, manager of the Penny Lane bar, and engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour after an incident on the night of 26 August 2023 at Strand Street Great, Dublin city centre. O'Reilly, who was with two friends, was asked to leave by Parks and allegedly bared his teeth, clenched his fists, and snapped her phone from her hand, while also using racial abuse towards Brazilian bouncer Marcos Peter Inacio. His three-day non-jury trial at Dublin District Court before Judge John Hughes concluded on 11 September 2025, with the judge finding Parks and Inacio not credible witnesses. O'Reilly was acquitted of assaulting Parks and racially abusing Inacio but found guilty of a lesser public order offence, and sentencing was adjourned until 8 October 2025.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court9 Sep
3 reports - Convicted11 Sep
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gavin O'Reilly, a Garda superintendent, was charged with assaulting Emma Parks, manager of the Penny Lane bar, and engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.
- O'Reilly, who was off duty and with two friends, was asked to leave by Parks and allegedly bared his teeth, clenched his fists, and snapped her phone from her hand.
- O'Reilly allegedly used racial abuse towards Brazilian bouncer Marcos Peter Inacio, who came to assist from the nearby Pantibar.
- O'Reilly was arrested by Garda Eoin Naughton outside the venue and allegedly threatened the arresting officer.
- Where
- The incident took place at the Penny Lane bar on Strand Street Great, Dublin city centre.
- When
- The incident occurred on the night of 26 August 2023.
- Charges
- O'Reilly denies the charges.
- In court
- His three-day non-jury trial was held at Dublin District Court before Judge John Hughes, concluding on 11 September 2025.
- The judge found Parks and Inacio not credible witnesses, noting their evidence was contradicted by CCTV footage and the 999 call recording.
- Sentence
- O'Reilly was acquitted of assaulting Parks and racially abusing Inacio but found guilty of a lesser public order offence.
- Sentencing was adjourned until 8 October 2025 for the judge to consider the Probation Act.
- Other details
- The Garda Ombudsman took over the investigation after O'Reilly was de-arrested by gardaí at the scene.
- O'Reilly is 41 and from Cavan, with his address on the summons given as Phoenix Park.
62 statements extracted from the articles
- whatHe is accused of assaulting Emma Parks and engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour (irishtimes.com)
- whatEmma Parks was the manager of the Penny Lane bar at the time (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe was with two friends (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe three men were shouting, singing and pulling at each other (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whatMs Parks had worked in pubs for 19 years (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe thought they had each bought one drink in the bar (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe asked them to leave and advised them to go get a bite to eat (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe three men left and headed in the direction of Capel Street (irishtimes.com)
- whatHis fists were clenched tightly and his teeth bared (irishtimes.com)
- whatMs Parks is 4ft 11 inches tall (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe was estimated to be about 5ft 5 inches tall (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe told her he knew the owner of the venue and would be in touch with him (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe confrontation continued for two or three minutes (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe did not need hospital attention but her hand was red and in pain (irishtimes.com)
- whatO'Reilly was off-duty at the time of the incident (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly allegedly bared his teeth and clenched his fists (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly was wearing a body-warmer, jeans and a T-shirt (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly was with two friends in the bar (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly told Parks she was never going to work again and he would get the place shut down (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly told Parks she was done and fucked (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly told Parks his name and that he was a superintendent (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly called Emma Parks a b***h (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly said he knew the owner of the venue, Shane (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly shouted a racial slur at the bouncer (irishmirror.ie)
- whatO'Reilly denies assaulting Emma Parks, manager of the Penny Lane bar at Strand Street Great (irishtimes.com)
- whatO'Reilly was off duty and socialising in the city centre (irishtimes.com)
- whatO'Reilly was asked to leave but returned to the venue (irishtimes.com)
- whatO'Reilly used racial abuse towards Brazilian bouncer Marcos Peter Inacio (irishtimes.com)
- whatMs Parks told O'Reilly it was disgraceful and disgusting language (irishtimes.com)
- whatMs Parks began filming O'Reilly until he snapped her phone out of her hand (irishtimes.com)
- whatO'Reilly maintains he was roughed up and dragged by doormen (irishtimes.com)
- whatBoth Penny Lane and Pantibar had the same owner (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe trial is a non-jury trial (irishtimes.com)
- whatNaughton stated the accused was roaring, shouting and threatening (irishtimes.com)
- whatO'Reilly told Naughton he had no right to arrest him, that he was going to lose his job or would be sued (irishtimes.com)
- whatO'Reilly told Naughton he was going to urinate on the street (irishtimes.com)
- whatO'Reilly was roaring about ringing the assistant commissioner (irishtimes.com)
- whatNaughton did not know O'Reilly was a garda because he had no ID on him (irishtimes.com)
- whatA trainee garda whispered to Naughton that he recognised the arrested man as a Garda superintendent from the 2023 annual Pride parade (irishtimes.com)
- whatNaughton thought the arrest may have come after 10 minutes, but the defence said it happened within 40 seconds (irishtimes.com)
- whatGarda Graham Johnson said the accused was agitated when asked for ID (irishtimes.com)
- whatGavin O'Reilly was acquitted of assaulting bar manager Emma Parks and racially abusing bouncer Marcos Peter Inacio. (irishtimes.com)
- whatBouncer Osmar Fontes conceded under cross-examination that he did not hear any racial abuse. (irishtimes.com)
- whereHis address is given on his summons as Phoenix Park (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident occurred at Strand Street Great, in the city centre (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident took place at Strand Street Great in Dublin city centre (irishmirror.ie)
- whereMr Inacio came over to assist from the nearby Pantibar (irishtimes.com)
- whereGarda Eoin Naughton was then based at Store Street station (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident took place at the Pennylane bar in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incident occurred on the night of 26 August 2023 (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- chargeO'Reilly denies the charges (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHis non-jury trial opened before Judge John Hughes (irishtimes.com)
- courtPhone footage and the audio of her 999 call were played in court (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe non-jury trial opened before Judge John Hughes (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe three-day non-jury trial was held at Dublin District Court and concluded on Thursday evening. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceSentencing was adjourned until 8 October 2025 for the judge to consider the ramifications of applying the Probation Act. (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe denies the charges (irishtimes.com)
- otherO'Reilly's address on his summons is Phoenix Park (irishmirror.ie)
- otherEmma Parks had worked in pubs for 19 years (irishmirror.ie)
- otherEmma Parks is 4 ft 11 inches tall (irishmirror.ie)
- otherO'Reilly was estimated to be about 5 feet 5 inches tall (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Garda Ombudsman took over the investigation after O'Reilly was de-arrested by the gardaí at the scene, which led to the court prosecution. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 11 Sep2025Garda cleared of assaulting bar manager but found guilty of minor public order offence
Three-day non-jury trial concluded with acquittal on assault and racial abuse charges but conviction on the lesser Section 6 Public Order Act offence; sentencing adjourned to 8 October 2025 for the judge to consider the Probation Act.
convicted, 41, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Emma Parks, femaleEmma Parksvictim, Marcos Peter Inacio, male, non-irish (judged from name)Marcos Peter Inacio - 11 Sep2025Garda detained after gay bar row threatened arresting officer, court hears
Trial evidence from Tuesday and Wednesday: testimony from Emma Parks, Marcos Peter Inacio, Garda Eoin Naughton and Garda Graham Johnson detailing the bar incident, the racial abuse, the phone being snapped, and the arrest outside Penny Lane.
accused, Gavin O'Reilly, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gavin O'Reillyvictim, Emma Parks, female, irish (judged from name)Emma Parksvictim, Marcos Peter Inacio, male, Brazilian, non-irishMarcos Peter Inacio - 9 Sep2025Garda said 'I'm a Superintendent' before alleged Dublin pub assault, court hears
Details of Emma Parks' evidence on the first day of the trial, including her account of O'Reilly's aggressive behaviour, the alleged phone-swipe assault, and the racial abuse directed at the bouncer.
victim, Emma Parks, female, irish (judged from name)Emma Parksvictimaccused, Gavin O'Reilly, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gavin O'Reilly - 9 Sep2025Garda superintendent accused of assault and racist abuse in bar, court hears
Trial opened with Emma Parks giving detailed evidence of the incident; defence cross-examination challenged her account; trial continues.
victim, Emma Parks, female, irish (judged from name)Emma Parksaccused, Gavin O'Reilly, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gavin O'Reillyvictim, male