Dine and dash couple 'ruthlessly exploited' family for £1,000 restaurant spree

29 May 2024 , 19:02

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Dine and dash couple 'ruthlessly exploited' family for £1,000 restaurant spree

A married couple have been jailed after being caught on CCTV doing a 'dine-and-dash' from a restaurant with their children.

Bernard and Ann McDonagh were caught after being filmed leaving a restaurant without paying, having gorged themselves on T-bone steak and large helpings of Tiramisu.

Owners of the Italian restaurant posted a clip of the incident onto social media and it went viral, with more than 12 million views.

The shameless couple was jailed at Swansea Crown Court today after admitting five frauds at restaurants and four shoplifting offences. Judge Paul Thomas KC said he was jailing them for the way they "ruthlessly exploited" their young children in their dine-and dash spree.

Ann McDonagh, 39, was jailed for a total of 12 months (PA)

Bernard McDonagh, 41, was given an eight-month prison sentence (WALES NEWS SERVICE)

The couple - who the judge said had acted out of "pure and utter greed"- targeted restaurants in South Wales where they could not normally afford to eat. The court heard the incidents made Ann McDonagh "feel better about herself". They ordered large T-bone steaks, which the children couldn't eat, and restaurant staff said they were puzzled by how much food the family wasted.

It was only when the owners presented the bill that they realised they were being duped. Ann McDonagh, 39, would attempt to pay using bank cards which were declined, before saying she would leave one of her children behind while she fetched another card from the car.

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A few minutes later the child would run out and get into the family's blue van, which would then drive off. Police discovered they had rung up a total bill of £1,168.10 from restaurants and had got away with goods worth £1,017.60 on a shoplifting spree at Tommy Hilfiger, Sainsbury, and Tesco. In one of the incidents, Ann McDonagh lied about being nine months pregnant.

Footage shows the moment Ann McDonagh was arrested (PA)

Mrs McDonagh admitted a further offence of obstructing a police officer. She has 18 convictions from 36 offences including fraud and theft. Her husband has previous convictions for theft.

Speaking after the verdict, Prosecutor Alycia Carpinini said: "Bernard McDonagh has used 23 different aliases and given eight different birthdays. Ann McDonagh has used 20 different aliases and 10 different dates of birth. They were caught after dining at the Bella Ciao restaurant in Swansea where a booking was made under the name Lucy Logan."

Giles Hayes, defending Bernard McDonagh, said the travelling community he belonged to were "deeply ashamed" of his behaviour. He said: "He and his wife have fallen on their swords and fully accept their behaviour was socially unacceptable. Mr McDonagh recognises his wrongdoing and is remorseful."

The court heard the couple had to move out of their home in Port Talbot after angry locals smashed all the windows in a revenge attack. Ann McDonagh, 39, dressed in a glittery cream jacket, burst into tears as she was jailed for a total of 12 months for all the offences.

A judge told the couple they had 'ruthlessly exploited' their young children in their dine-and dash spree (PA)

Her husband, 41, showed no emotion as he was given an eight-month prison sentence. Judge Thomas told the pair: "Over a period of eight months, you two set out on a deliberate course of sustained dishonesty. You would go into restaurants with your young family and cynically and brazenly leave without paying. You would order the most expensive items on the menu, even for your children who could not eat them."

Judge Thomas said the couple used a "well rehearsed and tested method" of avoiding payment, leaving one of their children behind as security. He said: "It exploited them, put them at risk and gave them the example that dishonesty and deception are an acceptable way of living their lives.

"It was criminality for the sake of criminality. You each got a buzz to see what you could get away with. Businesses suffered significant losses. It put people's livelihoods and jobs at risk. The judge said Mrs McDonagh was the leading figure and a "fluent and practiced liar". The couple brought money with them to court to compensate the restaurants they stole from.

Tom Bedford