A man who attempted to dine and dash at a steakhouse in Kent has been ordered to pay more than £2,000 after being convicted. Johnny Delaney, 44, was handed the hefty bill for his £250 meal at Stubbs in Ashford.
Delaney was captured on CCTV leaving the restaurant without paying, accompanied by a woman and two children. He was seen walking across the car park with a child before getting into a Volkswagen Passat Estate and driving off. The incident took place in November last year.
Meal and Denial
Staff at the steakhouse said Delaney ordered a large meal of steaks and cocktails and had no complaints during the meal. However, he later tried to claim the food was cold and contained a hair. Since the group finished their meals without raising any issues, they were still presented with the £252.82 bill.
Police arrested Delaney and charged him with making off without payment contrary to section 3(1) of the Theft Act 1978. According to the restaurant, he initially denied the accusations twice before pleading guilty at Canterbury Crown Court on August 12.
Sentence and Impact
Delaney was sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to pay the full bill total in compensation, plus a victim surcharge of £114 and £1,630 in court costs.
Stubbs restaurant has emphasised that dine-and-dash is not a victimless crime, noting they have been targeted by many other incidents since opening. Sally Newman, the senior general manager, said: 'As we approach the end of our first five years of opening Stubbs, this successful conviction marks a significant milestone for our team.'
'In our first year, we sadly suffered up to two incidents a week of individuals deliberately leaving without paying. This kind of theft places an immense emotional and operational strain on me and my hardworking colleagues. However, thanks to the absolute tenacity and professionalism of the Ashford police service, alongside the massive, unwavering support from our guests and the local community, these incidents have now virtually ceased.'
Managers hope this 'sends a clear message' to the town that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
