Garda Superintendent faces court over alleged assault on woman in Dublin

Tom Tuite

A Garda Superintendent has appeared in court accused of attacking a woman during an alleged incident in Dublin.

Gavin O'Reilly, whose address is given on his summons as Phoenix Park, came before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on Friday.

He is accused of assaulting a named woman at Strand Street Great on August 26th, 2023, and a connected charge for engaging in threatening, abusive, and insulting behaviour on the same occasion.

It follows an investigation by the Garda ombudsman (Gsoc). State solicitor Rory Staines told Judge Michele Finan that this was the first listing of the case.

Mr Staines confirmed he knew the accused was present and standing at the back of the courtroom. Mr O'Reilly was not required to come forward.

The State solicitor applied for an adjournment to comply with a disclosure order.

The defence said there was consent and that he had discussed it with his client, who did not address the court.

The accused's lawyer requested a hearing be scheduled on "the earliest date possible".

Judge Finan adjourned the case to the contested hearing court. She ordered it be listed for mention on April 7th, when the hearing date would be allocated.

She also directed the disclosure of prosecution evidence to the defence.

Judge Finan allowed Mr O'Reilly to be excused from attending on the following date after noting the State solicitor had no difficulty with that.

She told the accused, "You will get your hearing date next door". He did not reply and then left the court.

He was not required to address the proceedings, and no evidence concerning the alleged incident was given during the brief hearing.

The assault under section two of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, which is dealt with solely at a District Court level, carries a maximum six-month sentence.

Under section six of the Public Order Act, the second charge on conviction can result in a three-month term of imprisonment.