Listen to this article:A couple on a light-hearted bingo date night had their evening ruined when a knife-armed man launched a rampage in a casino in Warrington.
On June 11, 2023, Michael Ambrose, 49, and his wife Natalie, 42, had gone to the casino at Cockhedge Shopping Centre for a bingo evening without their five children. A great way to enjoy each other’s company and to feel the thrill of a real-life experience, compared to playing at bingo sites. Their night started well with Natalie winning a small prize, but their celebration was cut short in a terrifying manner.
As they approached the counter to collect their winnings, Ambrose heard the sound of women screaming and the crash of machines being smashed. Concerned for his wife’s safety, he moved toward the commotion and saw a man attacking slot machines with a bar stool. The man was later identified as 37-year-old Constantin Lupo of Fredrick Street, Widnes.
Speaking about the experience, Ambrose said:
“We were out on a cheeky night out without the kids. My wife won £10 and we’d gone to collect it. While cashing out, I heard banging and women screaming and running about. I saw him smashing up the fruit machines, so I went over to disarm him and try and hold him until the police arrived.”
In the struggle that followed, Ambrose was stabbed in the neck with a lock knife, “I could feel fresh air on my neck immediately. I held his wrist so he couldn’t let go of the knife”. Despite the injury, he managed to restrain Lupo until police officers arrived.
Ambrose later underwent emergency surgery in hospital.
“The surgeon told me if it had been an inch lower, I would have died. I was so lucky. I think that’s when the shock of what had happened hit us. It was scary for all the family. It was a crazy date night.”
Lupo was arrested at the scene and charged with multiple offences. At Liverpool Crown Court, he was convicted of criminal damage, inflicting grievous bodily harm, and possession of a bladed article. On August 1, he was sentenced to eight months in prison.
During the trial, prosecutors explained that Lupo caused £8,734 worth of damage and smashed five slot machines during his outburst. CCTV footage later released by Ambrose showed the moment Lupo swung the bar stool at the machines before the confrontation.
Although he denied criminal damage during police questioning, Lupo admitted that he had become angry at the machines, claiming they had been “lying” to him.
Speaking about the incident in court, the casino manager expressed his gratitude to Ambrose for stepping in and stopping the attack at Cockhedge Shopping Centre, which had turned into a terrifying bingo date night. According to Ambrose, the manager told him that “if it wasn’t for me, he thought something really bad would have happened to a member of staff.”
Detective Constable Stephan Wolstenholme of Cheshire Police praised Ambrose’s actions, but also spoke of the serious risk he faced.
“Even in light of Constantin Lupo maintaining his innocence throughout the entire investigation and forcing the victim to relive the incident in court all over again, I do hope that today’s result offers some reassurance to the victim involved in this unjustified and violent ordeal.
“This could have been a potentially life-threatening situation for the member of the public who had, rightfully, challenged Lupo, who could not handle the result of his afternoon of gambling and caused a substantial amount of damage to several machines he had been using.
“The victim was simply doing all they could to stop Lupo’s rampage and did not deserve to be violently attacked. Cheshire Police treats every report of assault with the utmost seriousness, and our officers will do everything they can to get victims the justice they deserve.”
While Ambrose and his family have been left with lasting scars by the events of that night, he says he is thankful that the outcome was not far worse.
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