Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0191Threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place, failure to comply with a garda direction, refusal to give name and address · Co. Dublin · 25 Aug 2019

High Court clears way for public order hearing in Dublin

A man, unnamed under a reporting restriction to protect his children, was arrested at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in Dublin on 25 August 2019 after an altercation with gardaí who had been informed that his two-year-old son was left alone sleeping in his parked car while he went shopping. He was charged with threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place, failure to comply with a garda direction, and refusal to give his name and address, all of which he denied. His attempt to bring a private prosecution against the gardaí was refused by the District Court and the refusal was upheld by the Court of Appeal. In October 2026, the High Court refused his application for a separate preliminary hearing over a disclosure request, clearing the way for the public order case to be heard in Blanchardstown District Court.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court7 Oct
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A man was arrested at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin, following an altercation with gardaí who had been informed that his two-year-old son was left alone sleeping in his parked car while he went shopping.
Where
Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin.
When
25 August 2019.
Charges
He was charged with threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place, failure to comply with a garda direction, and refusal to give his name and address.
In court
  • His private prosecution against the gardaí was refused by the District Court and the refusal was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
  • The High Court refused his application for a separate preliminary hearing over a disclosure request, clearing the way for the public order case to be heard in Blanchardstown District Court.
Other details
  • He denied the charges and sought to bring a private prosecution against the gardaí over three wrongful prosecutions from the incident.
  • A reporting restriction on naming the man to protect his children remains in force.
  • The DPP said disclosure obligations had been complied with.
  • The man remains at liberty to seek additional disclosure when the proceedings next come before the District Court.
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe High Court cleared the way for the hearing of a prosecution against a father for public order offences. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe incident arose from a complaint to gardaí about his two-year-old child being left alone sleeping in his car while he went shopping. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe left one of his sons, who was asleep, in the parked car for a brief period while he made a purchase. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe wanted video and audio recordings from the shopping centre and Garda station, together with any recording from a garda recording device. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe man was arrested at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenGardaí were informed about the child in the car on August 25th, 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe was charged with threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe was charged with failure to comply with a garda direction. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe was charged with refusal to give his name and address. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe private prosecution application was refused by the District Court and the Court of Appeal dismissed a challenge to that refusal. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe denied the charges and sought to bring his own private prosecution against the gardaí over three wrongful prosecutions. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe DPP said disclosure obligations had been complied with. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge said there was no fixed rule dictating a separate preliminary hearing must always take place in advance of a criminal trial in the District Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA reporting restriction on naming the man to protect his children will remain in force. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 7 Oct2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Court clears way for hearing following row sparked by complaint about child alone in car

    Judge Garrett Simons in the High Court refused the man's application for a separate preliminary hearing before his criminal trial in Blanchardstown District Court. The man is unnamed under a reporting restriction to protect his children. His earlier private prosecution against the gardaí was refused by the District Court and the refusal was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

    accused, malevictim, 2, male