Losing player ends up in court after threatening to shoot poker site staff

Losing player ends up in court after threatening to shoot poker site staff

Wednesday, 21 September 2011

We've all heard of players doing silly things when they've gone on a losing run. Chucking cups of tea or throwing laptops out of windows maybe but threatening to visit the headquarters of the site in question with a gun and kill the staff? Amazingly, that is what Michael Gallagher is accused of.

The Redcar based player lost £19,000 on the unnamed, but Isle of Man based site, and subsequently sent an email demanding £30,000 to cover his losses. If he didn't receive appropriate recompense he said he would visit the site HQ with a shotgun and kill as many people as he could. Customer services staff took the threat seriously and informed the police.


The 35-year-old got in touch with the site again a day later, offering profuse apologies, claiming that he was drunk at the time he sent the original email. The apology was for nothing though as Gallagher was arrested and subsequently charged with blackmail.


Gallagher pleaded guilty to the charge of using electronic communication to convey a threat shortly before his appearance at Teesside Crown Court. Judge George Moorhouse ordered a probation report and requested more time to consider sentencing. Gallagher, who received bail, will find out his fate next month.


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Tags: law, police