‘Alcohol probably won the day’: Four men sentenced after violent brawl at CBD bar Plain Jane

Two alleged Gypsy Joker bikies were arrested after a nine men were caught up in a huge brawl at a CBD bar – now four have been sentenced.

Four northern suburbs men have been spared jail time after pleading guilty to causing a violent brawl at a popular CBD bar last year,

Nine people – including two alleged Gypsy Jokers bikies - were arrested over the brawl outside Plain Jane in Leigh St.

Emmett James O’Rielley, 34, Riley Allan Saunders, 33, Dylan James Squire, 33 and Jake Scott Thomas, 29, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday in front of Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal, each charged with one count of affray.

O’Rielley also pleaded guilty to an additional charge of possessing a prohibited weapon – a knuckleduster located by police at his Wynn Vale address.

Dylan Squire pleaded guilty to affray. Photo: Facebook

Emmett O'Rielley pleaded guilty to affray and possessing a prohibited weapon. Photo: Facebook

Defence counsel for O’Rielley, a Rostrevor College graduate, acknowledged his client “commenced proceedings” with a headbutt, but claimed the group wasn’t “looking for trouble”.

“This was four men who went out for a 30th birthday party with their girlfriends,” they said.

“They weren’t looking for trouble, they weren’t part of a gang, they weren’t trying to do anything wrong.

“Why a 63kg guy would start proceedings is beyond me – I think alcohol probably played a part in it – but his instructions to me about that is that he had seen two of the other guys arguing. Stupidly, and foolishly, he headbutted the guy who was arguing with one of his friends and that kicked it off.

“It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t premeditated, it wasn’t gang-related … this is something that alcohol probably won the day with.”

Police said about 1am on July 23, 2023, two groups of men were involved in a violent incident inside a licensed premises on Leigh St before the brawl spilt on to the street.

Plain Jane nightclub's Instagram story. Picture: Plain Jane

On Tuesday, a court heard there were more than 100 patrons present on the night of the brawl.

Security officers tried to separate the group of men, but “had difficulty” because of the number of people involved in the fight, Ms Hribal said.

“The conduct in which you engaged, and the fact it was in the vicinity of a licensed premises where a large number of members of the public were present, are all important matters for the court to consider,” she said. “It would have been a frightening incident for those who were caught up in it.

“Only just this week, someone’s died as a result of a punch to the head. One punch can have disastrous effects – we hear about it often – and that’s what the court’s reflecting on.

“One of the things that’s come through in all the references is what good friends you are to your friends, and how you tend to involve yourself in assisting them. It’s probably that, and a misguided loyalty from this night, which saw you get involved in this.”

O’Rielley was sentenced to six months and 27 days imprisonment, suspended upon entering into a 12-month good behaviour bond.

Saunders, Squire and Thomas were each sentenced to three months imprisonment, also suspended upon entering into a 12-month good behaviour bond.

Originally published as ‘Alcohol probably won the day’: Four men sentenced after violent brawl at CBD bar Plain Jane