Irish Man In Casino Attack Gets Two Months in Jail Despite More Than 100 Arrests

Posted on: April 18, 2023, 07:58h. 

Last updated on: April 18, 2023, 11:17h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

A year after police in Ireland arrested him for disorderly conduct at a casino, Mathew Ginnifer has finally learned his punishment. He probably won’t dwell on it too much, though. Despite having more than 100 arrests on his rap sheet, the 28-year-old habitual criminal was only given two months behind bars.

Armed Irish police officers on patrol
Armed Irish police officers on patrol. A man they arrested for disorderly conduct at a casino has received a jail sentence of two months. (Image: Irish Independent)

The sentence won’t impact Ginnifer, as it runs concurrently with an existing 16-month sentence he’s serving for other crimes. It’s nothing more than another charge to add to his growing list.

That list has more than 120 crimes on it, an extensive menu of lawbreaking of which Ginnifer seems to be proud. For him, getting into a fight with security guards at a casino was simply part of his daily routine.

No Rest for the Wicked

On May 14 last year, Irish police responded to a call at the Tudor Casino in Cork. There, according to the Irish Examiner, they came across a defiant Ginnifer, who security had ejected from the property.

He was trying to get back inside and was attacking the guards who were keeping him out. Police arrested him and took him away, ultimately charging him for his violent outburst.

Ginnifer had 13 similar convictions on his record for “engaging in threatening behavior,” according to the paper, though his repeat offenses weren’t enough to take him off the streets.

Ginnifer did finally land himself behind bars for 16 months for a series of crimes, but not before adding the casino attack to his resume. That incident happened as he was waiting for a judge to determine what type of punishment to deliver.

Before he turned 25, Ginnifer was already a career criminal. His record includes trespassing, multiple accounts of car theft, and more. In one incident, he even stole a man’s reading glasses and chewing gum. Among his crimes, Ginnifer has 22 convictions for theft, 13 for violent behavior, and eight for failing to appear in court.

At one point in 2021, he landed in a Cork hospital with a cut on his head. Not even the doctors were safe from his tirades, as Ginnifer threatened to punch one in the head if he tried to touch him.

Pattern of Abuse

Until the 16-month sentence, Ginnifer had repeatedly received lighter sentences of usually two or three months, often to be served concurrently. This meant the often-homeless man was able to take a short vacation at Ireland’s expense before he was back out on the street once again.

His escapades, according to lawyers who have represented him, were drug-induced. Ginnifer, they said, was a victim of illicit drugs and these were the real culprits behind his actions.

When he was 22, he allegedly threatened to kill a 14-year-old boy before stealing the car belonging to the child’s mother. He then allegedly practiced his demolition derby driving skills against other cars in the parking lot of a nearby shopping center.

When he appeared in court to answer for those crimes, Ginnifer said he was innocent. He pleaded not guilty, even promising not to commit any more crimes if he were released. The judge didn’t buy Ginnifer’s act and refused to grant bail. He was subsequently proven correct, as Ginnifer obviously didn’t keep his promise when he finally got out.