Port Talbot couple jailed for dine and dash fraud
- A married couple from Sandfields in Port Talbot have been arrested and jailed for accumulating over £1,100 of unpaid bills in local restaurants and pubs.
- Bernard and Ann McDonagh pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud for not paying their restaurant bills.
- The judge described the couple's actions as 'cynical and brazen' fraud against various eateries in the area.
A couple went to five restaurants with their children, ate meals, and left without paying over £1,000. They were caught on CCTV at a Swansea restaurant. The wife, Ann McDonagh, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for theft and obstructing a police officer. Her husband, Bernard McDonagh, got eight months. They used their children to pretend to go to a cashpoint and then leave without paying. The judge said this was very wrong. The couple also stole from supermarkets and lied about being pregnant to get released from custody. They had a history of theft convictions. Ann McDonagh was described as a practiced liar. The Crown Prosecution Service said their actions hurt local restaurants. The couple ordered expensive food and drinks they couldn't pay for. They did this to see if they could get away with it. Bernard had 27 convictions, and Ann had 18, mostly for shoplifting. The judge believed Ann was the main culprit and sentenced her to 12 months. Bernard got eight months. The restaurant owners felt betrayed and considered making changes to prevent this from happening again. Ann also stole items worth over £1,000 from stores. Bernard was ashamed and embarrassed by his actions. Their neighbors vandalized their house when they found out what they had done.