A man who claimed the owner of a Dublin pub told him to go home and change out of his tracksuit bottoms before locking him in a “full nelson” in the men’s toilets has lost a €38,000 damages claim for assault.
Jason O’Neill (41), Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin, was also directed to pay the legal costs of Richmond Properties (Ireland) Ltd, which trades as Nancy Hands pub on Parkgate Street.
Mr O’Neill told Judge Jacqueline Linnane in the Circuit Civil Court that on September 11th, 2006, pub- owner Francis O’Reilly mocked him about his tracksuit bottoms and embarrassed him.
He said he had followed Mr O’Reilly into the toilets to protest and was whisked around and locked in a “full nelson” hold. He said he had turned red and blue and had been unable to breathe.
Mr O’Neill told Deirdre Byrne, for the publican, he knew Mr O’Reilly had introduced a new dress code banning tracksuits. He denied having taken a swing with his fist at Mr O’Reilly.
Mr O’Reilly told the court he had spoken discreetly to Mr O’Neill about the new dress code rules.
Judge Linnane said she was not satisfied Mr O’Neill had suffered any injuries as a result of what had taken place.