News
Suspended jail sentences for bareknuckle boxers
Two men who caused a riot when they took part in a pre-arranged bareknuckle fist fight which attracted up to 200 spectators in a halting site on the outskirts of Galway city three years ago, were each given suspended two-year sentences at Galway Circuit Criminal Court this week.
Several video clips of the illegal fight, which took part at Carrowbrowne Halting Site, Headford Road, Galway, at 3pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012, are posted on You Tube and show the accused Patrick ‘Jaws’ Ward, now aged 41, engage in a six-minute fist fight with the other “contestant”, Barney ‘The Gorilla’ McGinley, now 37.
Ward, who lived in Rahoon, at the time of the offence but who now lives in Loughrea with his wife and seven children, pleaded guilty in December 2013 to committing an affray in that he and his co-accused, Barney McGinley, used or threatened to use unlawful violence towards each other at Carrowbrowne Halting Site, Headford Road, on Tuesday, June 12, 2012.
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When Ballinasloe native, McGinley, with addresses in Derry, Ennis, and the UK, was initially charged with affray on the day of the incident, he had replied: “I came to Galway to box Paddy ‘Jaws’ Ward. I took his title from him today and then they turned into mad men.”
He pleaded guilty to the same charge of affray last year when extradited from the UK.
Ward claimed in court in 2013 that he had not wanted to fight McGinley but he had been taunted by phone and on You Tube by McGinley to the rematch of a fight which Ward had won in 2008. He said his family had also been threatened and he had no choice but to fight.
McGinley had absconded to the UK when given bail two days after the fight but consented to his extradition and was arrested on his return by Det Sgt Paudie O’Shea on March 24 last year.
He remained in custody for five weeks before getting bail.
Outlining the incident, Sgt O’Shea told the sentence hearing on Wednesday that Gardai carried out patrols when they became aware there might be a prearranged fight taking place that day. He and two colleagues noticed people abandoning cars near Carrowbrowne Halting Site.
Up to 200 spectators, some of them children, had gathered at the halting site. They had blocked the roads by abandoning their cars and vans everywhere, in an attempt to stop Gardai gaining access to the halting site.
When a small number of Gardai managed to get there, they were threatened that if they interfered with the prearranged fight the crowd would turn on them.
Sgt. Grace Hennessy had told the initial hearing in 2013, that ‘Jaws’ Ward entered the playground area and began fighting McGinley.
The crowd, she said, formed a tight ring around them and began jeering and roaring them on.
The fight lasted six minutes until Ward knocked the other man to the 
“This incensed the crowd and chaos erupted. Missiles, such as rocks, golf clubs and wooden stakes were thrown. Gardai had to draw their batons,” Sgt. Hennessy said at the time.
Spectators continued to hurl missiles at each other for about 45 minutes as Gardai tried to direct them out of the halting site and both Ward and McGinley had also hurled missiles at each other, she said.
Sgt O’Shea said that once the fight broke down very serious violence erupted.
He saw McGinley pick up a rock and throw it at Ward and then Ward pulled a stake out of the ground and threw it at McGinley. Both men were arrested at the scene.
Two Gardaí recorded the incident on their mobile phones and it was captured on the halting site’s CCTV as well, the initial hearing had heard Sgt O’Shea said McGinley was known as Barney ‘The Gorilla’ McGinley. He is married with 10 children and now lives in the UK.
“He was involved in ongoing organised fights within the Traveller community and has a reputation for that. He took part in a pre-arranged fight in the UK for the title of King of the Gypsies as well,” Sgt O’Shea added.
The court was told neither man had come to Garda attention since this incident.
McGinely’s barrister told the court that his client had completely given up boxing. He had also shook hands with Ward and there was no antagonism between them now.
McGinley, the court heard, had arrived from England the day before the fight by ferry along with a number of supporters and he had left the jurisdiction because threats had been made against him.
Imposing sentence yesterday, Judge Rory McCabe said both accused had not come to Garda attention since this incident and very positive probation reports on both had been handed into court.
He explained, that to act as a deterrent, he was suspending the two-year sentence for two years in each case on condition both accused be of good behaviour for two years.