Man jailed for stealing gold ring and gold bracelet worth over €2k from shop in Cork

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said that on November 15 gardaí received a report from the manager at Cash Connectors on MacCurtain St that a man entered the store and tried on a gold ring and gold bracelet with a combined value of €2,198 and proceeded to walk out of the store passing all points of payment and left without paying for them.

“Matthew Ginnifer was arrested a short time later that day and had the ring and bracelet on his person and they were both recovered,” Sgt Davis said at Cork District Court.

The sergeant said there was a further incident involving the same man in September this year.

After 4am on September 24, gardaí responded to an incident at St Patrick’s St where Mr Ginnifer was banging on the windows of McDonald’s fast-food restaurant.

Gardaí saw Mr Ginnifer then staggering out on to the street where he was verbally abusive to a member of staff at the premises calling him a "prick".

He was arrested and taken to the Bridewell garda station and released later in the day. By 3.30pm, he had come to the attention of gardaí again, shouting and roaring on Winthrop St.

He was arrested again and he waved his hands aggressively causing people passing on the street to avoid him.

Mr Ginnifer of no fixed address had 157 previous convictions, including eight for burglary, one for robbery, five for handling stolen property, and 30 for theft. 

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the accused was pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity and that the stolen jewellery was recovered.