Judge highlights “epidemic” of “dine and dash” incidents in Cornwall

A man has received a suspended prison sentence for committing a series of restaurant “dine and dash” offenses. Pat O’Toole departed numerous restaurants in Cornwall and other regions of England without settling his bills during the summer, Truro Crown Court was informed. The 41-year-old, from Hayes, Middlesex, was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and mandated to perform 100 hours of unpaid work after admitting to handling stolen goods and making off without payment. Judge Simon Carr told him there was an “epidemic of the problem in Cornwall”. In August, O’Toole was part of a group of four individuals who dined at the Cornish Arms in Hayle and subsequently left without paying a £106 bill. Two weeks later, he was captured on CCTV in a different group that dined at the four-star Tregenna Castle Hotel in St Ives, where they departed without settling a £312 bill. O’Toole was also identified within a group of six people who drove off laughing after avoiding a £403 bill from a restaurant located in another part of the country, the court heard. The father-of-three was apprehended inside a stolen £25,000 caravan, fitted with false number plates, which was parked in a hotel car park in Hayle. O’Toole stated he was ashamed of his actions and had spent three months in custody on remand. Judge Carr said: “There is an epidemic of the problem in Cornwall, ordering meals and putting businesses in danger of facing bankruptcy. “These offences are taken incredibly seriously.” For updates, follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.