British Couple Behind Dine-and-Dash Spree Jailed for Defrauding Welsh Restaurants

A couple notorious for dining and dashing in restaurants across Wales has been sentenced to prison after defrauding multiple establishments of over £1,000.

Bernard and Ann McDonagh, residents of Sandfields in Port Talbot, targeted five restaurants in areas including Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, and Porthcawl.

Their modus operandi involved ordering expensive meals, including T-bone steaks, for themselves and their children before leaving without paying.

Bernard McDonagh helped rack up the massive food bills (Picture: South Wales Police)

The scheme came to light when CCTV footage from frustrated restaurant owners was shared, leading to their identification and subsequent arrest.

Pleading guilty to five counts of obtaining services dishonestly at Swansea magistrates court, the McDonaghs were recently sentenced.

Ann received a 12-month prison term, while Judge Paul Thomas KC handed Bernard an eight-month sentence.

Ann repeatedly claimed she was leaving to get cash and never returning (Picture: South Wales Police)

Judge Thomas attributed greed as a motivating factor for their fraudulent behaviour and suggested that they derived a thrill from their actions.

He singled Ann out as the ringleader, describing her as a “fluent and practised liar.”

In one incident at Bella Ciao in Swansea, the couple left without paying a bill totalling £329, claiming Ann’s card had been declined.

They orchestrated an elaborate ploy involving a child waiting at the restaurant while Ann purportedly retrieved cash from their vehicle. However, moments later, the child received a phone call feigning an emergency and fled the scene.

The couple hid their faces as they arrived in court (Picture: Wales News Service)

The McDonaghs’ sentencing also included an order to compensate the restaurants for the unpaid bills within seven days.

Additionally, Ann admitted to four counts of shoplifting, including from designer store Tommy Hilfiger, where items worth £1,017.60 were stolen.

David Chapman, executive director for UK Hospitality in Wales, emphasized that dine-and-dash incidents like this are an ongoing challenge for the hospitality sector.

The McDonaghs case underscores the need for vigilance and preventive measures within the industry to deter such fraudulent activities.

©M10news 2024

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