A woman who was accused of assaulting a member of 3 Arena security staff has been spared a conviction after appearing before Dublin District Court.
Sharon O’Connor (54) had attended the Wolfe Tones concert on the 12th of October 2024 accompanied by her step son and his partner.
The court heard that as the three were waiting to go in they were pulled aside and told that they would not be admitted despite having purchased tickets. Ms. O’Connor was then accused of being “intoxicated” and of “racially abusing” members of the security staff, which she strongly denied.
Garda Cameron Phelan of the Bridewell attended at the scene to aid the 3 Arena security and arrested O’Connor, with the help of an off-duty officer, after she refused to follow his instructions to leave the premises.
The head of security, Ms. Leane Hyland claimed that, after initially walking away, O’Connor, who had called her a “cunt” and a “bitch” came towards her and struck her in the face.
This was not witnessed by Garda Phelan, the accused’s stepson, or anyone else who came before the courts as a witness today.
CCTV evidence from the body cam of a member of security staff was also made inadmissible in evidence as it could not be “proven” before the court.
When O’Connor was “brought to the ground”, she was asked if she was in pain to which she answered that she was not.
Taking the witness stand, Leane Hyland claimed that O’Connor was “racially abusive towards one of my staff”, although she conceded that she had not personally witnessed this, nor was anyone who witnessed the alleged comments in court.
She said that the accused was “pushing and shoving me and calling me names” and that she had witnessed Garda Phealn giving her directions to leave the venue “multiple times”.
When O’Connor’s defending counsel, Ciara Murray BL, suggested that her client had been “rude” towards Hyland, the witness said that she had been “abusive” which she said was “completely different” to being “rude”.
Ms. Murray said that on the day in question complaints have been made about the behaviour of security staff at the 3 Arena which was “pretty excessive”, and that Hyland kept “poking” her client in the back as she was retreating, which the witness denied, saying, “Most definitely not.”
“You were in her face and she was very upset at being accused of being intoxicated when she was not,” Murray argued, with Hyland saying she was “3 meters away” from the accused at the time.
She said that as the manager of a “very large security company” of 165 staff there was no circumstance in which she would have behaved that way in front of them. She said that two Gardaí and eight members of staff had been on the scene at the time of the incident.
Murray said that her client would “categorically deny” assaulting Hyland.
Accused takes the witness stand
Ms. O’Connor said that her two companions that night had travelled from Mayo to see the gig, and that it was impossible that she was intoxicated as she does not consume drugs or alcohol as a “personal choice”.
The former post office clerk said she was “told” she was intoxicated and that she was “so angry” over this.
O’Connor, who the court heard was formally in an abusive marriage “for a long time”, said she was “shit scared” and that being brought to the ground “affected me very much”.
She said she was “terrified of Hyland, and that she had “ruined” her life and that after the incident her “hair fell out in lumps”.
O’Connor said that Garda Phelan had been “very fair” during the situation and that she had requested that a blood test be done on her to prove that she was sober at the time.
Step son of accused gives evidence
Ms. O’Connor’s step son, Nathan Nash, said that he did not witness the accused strike Ms. Hyland and that he and his two companions had been refused entry into the 3 Arena for “a few different reasons”that seemed to change over the course of their interactions with the venue staff.
He said that after his stepmother was arrested, he and his partner were allowed to enter the venue and that the incident was “very difficult” and that he has not been in Dublin since, and does not wish to go again.
He said the staff had engaged in a “bad use of power” and that he, as a care assistant for people with disabilities, had been willing to “vouch” for Ms. O’Connor that he would take responsibility for her on the night.
He said that he had been “brought to the ground by 6 members of security at the venue and had made a complaint after the event after phoning “three times” before getting through to a Ms. Cunningham.
Ms. Murray said that her client “was rude and was upset” but that there was “no evidence to corroborate” Ms. Hyland’s claim.
She said it was the State’s “burden to disprove the defendant’s account” and that this had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Judge Michele Finan said that while the court “believes Ms Hyland, it must give the benefit of the doubt to the defendant, noting that Hyland’s evidence was “honest” and “consistent”.
She dismissed the Section 2 assault charge saying that “some people are damaged, they do have mental health issues,” but that these are not always clear to staff at venues and that the incident was a “very sad occurrence.”
Addressing O’Connor, she said, “Your behaviour wasn’t good” and “You come across as someone who behaves in an over the top way,” with the result that the security staff had “assumed you were intoxicated”.
Judge Finan struck the matter out advising O’Connor to ,“Go away from this experience just to be mindful of how onerous people’s jobs” can be.
She noted that she had recently attended an outdoor event at Marley Park, commending the “outstanding” operations of An Garda Síochána and event security on that occasion where she had “young people” with her.