A FURIOUS punter was so annoyed that a winning £1,000 bet was not paid out that he armed himself with a knife and threatened to smash up a bookmaker's shop unless he got his money.
He was left fuming after the betting shop's customer services department told him over the telephone that the winnings would be paid but he then discovered he would not get the cash after all, Grimsby magistrates heard.
Jeremiah Downey, 58, of Salamander Close, Grimsby, admitted possessing a knife in public and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour on July 24.
Brendan Woodward, prosecuting, said Downey was a regular customer at the Ladbrokes betting shop in Freeman Street, Grimsby, and was known as Jerry. He tried to place a £100 bet on a virtual race but, because the race had already started, he was told by staff that the bet had not been put on.
"The bet he tried to place would have resulted in winnings of £1,000," said Mr Woodward.
Downey had a later winning bet that did result in him being paid out some money. Member of staff Claire Butler did raise the late bet matter with the regional manager. Two days later, she was working in the betting shop when she noticed that the shop had received a call from customer services saying that there was a late bet which should be paid out.
"She made inquiries with the regional manager and that decision was reversed," said Mr Woodward.
"As far as the staff were concerned, payment would not be made."
But Downey had been told by customer services that he would be paid out and he was expecting to be picking up his winnings that day.
"Clearly, things had happened and the decision by customer services had been overruled," said Mr Woodward.
"He wasn't to know that when he first came into the shop."
Downey asked member of staff Alex Brown if the matter had been "sorted out" but it became clear that he would not be paid out.
He later angrily warned staff: "I'm going to smash the shop up if I don't get paid."
Claire Butler tried to explain that customer services had no right to tell him that he would be paid but he demanded that customer services be contacted.
Downey became agitated again and shouted: "If I don't get paid this bet, I'm going to smash every one of those machines and anyone else who gets in my way."
He left the shop but returned and asked if the matter had been sorted. She nodded her head.
He said he would be back in 15 minutes and staff decided to use a magnetic door to restrict access.
Downey was seen in the shop again at a time when seven customers were inside. He had a kitchen knife in his hand. The three-inch serrated blade could be seen.
He held the knife upright while he was at the counter but made no actual threats. He was arrested at his home later.
He admitted he had turned over two tables in the betting shop in frustration.
Andrea Wilkes, mitigating, said that when Downey was first told that the bet would not be paid because it was placed late, he decided to leave the shop and ring customer services.
"They informed him that it was wrong and he should be paid out and that he should return to the shop to be paid out," said Miss Wilkes.
"He is a very well-liked part of the community and the customer base that Ladbrokes has."
Downey had more than £4,000 of debts from catalogues and finance companies. He was hoping the Citizens' Advice Bureau would help him make voluntary repayments.
Unemployed Downey was given a ten-week suspended prison sentence, a two-year supervision order and was told to pay £85 costs and a Government-imposed £80 victims' surcharge.
He was banned from all Ladbrokes betting shops in North East Lincolnshire for six months.
Presiding magistrate Carl Thomas told Downey that, while the Bench could imagine his frustration, he could not go round town and into shops armed with a knife.
"Customers in the shop would be frightened and, certainly, carrying a knife is not acceptable," said Mr Thomas.
After the hearing, a Ladbrokes spokesman said: "Ladbrokes will always seek to prosecute any acts of aggression towards staff and we are pleased the courts have reached a guilty verdict in this case."
Ladbrokes was asked to comment on the wrong information that was supposedly given to Downey by its customer services department, which led to the incident, but it declined to do so.
![Grimsby punter furious about £1k winning bet not being paid armed himself with knife & threatened to smash up Ladbrokes shop in Freeman Street]( "Grimsby punter furious about £1k winning bet not being paid armed himself with knife & threatened to smash up Ladbrokes shop in Freeman Street")
