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A couple were jailed for carrying out a series of ‘dinner and dash” crimes, racking up large food and drink bills before leaving without paying.
Judge at Swansea the crown court said Anne McDonagh, 39, and Bernard McDonagh, 41, “cynically and brazenly” defrauded restaurants and takeaways in South Wales.
Judge Thomas KC told the court the Port Talbot couple ordered more than they could eat – including bone-in steaks – just to see if they could get away with having a good time. “It was crime for crime’s sake,” he said.
The court was told the couple were from a “very large traveling community” and the judge criticized them for reinforcing negative stereotypes.
It emerged that Bernard McDonagh had 27 convictions, including for crime, damage and theft, and Anne McDonagh had 18 convictions, many of them for shoplifting. He had 23 aliases and she had 20. The judge said he believed Ann McDonough played the lead role and jailed her for 12 months. Bernard McDonough got eight months.
The two dishonestly obtained food and drink at four restaurants and one takeaway in the south Waleswith unpaid bills totaling over £1,000.
Their “well drilled” modus operandi was to order generously, often leaving much of the food. Ann McDonagh would present a “job failed” card. When they failed, they said they would bring some money, but never came back.
They ordered their most expensive meal – including bone-in steaks and double portions of dessert – from the newly opened Bella Ciao, a family-run Italian restaurant in Swansea.
Restaurant co-owner Giovan Cangelosi said in a victim personal statement: “I felt that I had failed to protect my restaurant and had failed. I found myself doubting the customers and worried it might happen again. I had a hard time sleeping at night. The restaurant was thinking of making people pay first and increasing security.
Anne McDonagh also committed offenses of shoplifting, removing security tags and stealing items worth over £1,000.
Andrew Evans, defending Ann McDonough, said it was difficult to establish her motive for ordering food that was not eaten. The judge chimed in and suggested that it might be greed or that she got a buzz out of it.
Giles Hayes, for Bernard McDonagh, said McDonagh was deeply embarrassed and ashamed. He said the accused had six children and that neighbors vandalized their house when they heard what the two had done.
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