Victim of Fairhope restaurateur’s assault files lawsuit

Fairhope restaurateur Ronan McSharry, who was recently found guilty of assault after shoving a woman off a barstool last year, is now the defendant in a civil lawsuit brought by the victim.

According to a complaint filed in Baldwin County Circuit Court April 30, Paula DiNardi suffered “severe physical, emotional and mental pain and suffering” as a result of the assault and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages in an amount to be determined by a jury.

DiNardi lists four counts against McSharry, including assault, battery, outrage and civil conspiracy, the last of which alleges the defendant “conspired to harass and intimidate the victim in an attempt to prevent her from testifying against him.”

As Lagniappe reported last week, McSharry was found guilty in Fairhope Municipal Court April 17 and was sentenced to 180 days in jail. Notably, McSharry’s attorney John Beck attempted to have the case dismissed based upon alleged interference by Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson. Beck claimed meetings between Wilson and DiNardi and text messages in which Wilson referred to McSharry as a “tyrant” who “tarnishes Fairhope” amounted to a “politically motivated” prosecution.

At the time of his arrest for the assault, McSharry was on probation for breach of peace after threatening the artist Nall Hollis during a “violent, offensive or boisterous” verbal altercation in front of Hollis’ customers in 2017. A review of his record in state court also uncovered a restraining order filed against him by his ex-wife in 2014, claiming McSharry physically assaulted her twice while in a “drunken state.” McSharry later pleaded guilty to that charge and his ex-wife was awarded $270,000 in the subsequent divorce settlement, according to court records.

DiNardi’s civil complaint makes note of the previous allegations and elaborates on the charge of conspiracy.

“Shortly after being assaulted, [DiNardi] received multiple late-night phone calls threatening her to keep quiet,” it reads. “These threatening, late-night phone calls caused the plaintiff to fear for her safety. Defendant also conspired to take other improper actions to prevent plaintiff from testifying against him.”

It further claims McSharry “has a history of violence against women and against other vulnerable members of the community” and alleges he “has been successful in avoiding justice with many of his prior victims, primarily through paying them for silence.”

The complaint is also accompanied by a request for admissions asking for McSharry to acknowledge certain facts about the case and his previous arrests and convictions. It indicates DiNardi may even pursue the suspension or revocation of McSharry’s liquor license.

McSharry’s Irish Pub operates under a business license issued to Louelda LLC, of which McSharry is the sole member. It was established in 2006, according to state records.

DiNardi is requesting for McSharry to admit he “failed to disclose any of [his] criminal convictions to the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board” including on at least one re-application since his conviction for breach of peace in 2017.

Licenses must be approved by both the ABC Board and the municipality in which they are issued. In its pre-application process, the ABC Board requires the disclosure of any criminal charges, whether convicted or not, by anyone with any interest in the application. More specifically, “the true, correct and complete criminal court record of all arrests and subsequent dispositions for the past 10 years.” Further, Alabama Code 28-3A-23(b) states licenses shall be issued only to “reputable individuals.”

Lagniappe is currently seeking clarification regarding whether the same disclosures are required during the annual license renewal process.   

DiNardi is represented by attorney David A. McDonald. The full complaint accompanies this article on lagniappemobile.com