Serial dine and dash couple, 41 and 39, admit fraud after skipping £1,168 in ... trends now
A married couple accused of leaving restaurants across South Wales more than £1,000 out of pocket by skipping on paying bills have today admitted carrying out a string of 'dine and dashes'.
Father-of-three Bernard McDonagh, 41, and wife Ann McDonagh, 39, confessed to racking up £1,168 worth of unpaid restaurant bills, as well as shoplifting £1,017 in goods from Tommy Hilfiger, Sainsbury's and Tesco.
And the pair could face jail when they are sentenced by a judge at crown court later this month for their dining crime - leaving businesses hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
The couple covered their faces away from the cameras as they appeared at Swansea Magistrates' Court today charged with crimes at five restaurants in a 30-mile radius across South Wales.
Bernard McDonagh was seen wearing a pink polo shirt, with a grey tweed blazer and navy trousers as he covered his face with his hand. His wife Ann covered up her face with her parka coat hood and hands as they entered the court side-by-side.
The pair staged a series of rogue restaurant eat-outs so far over the last nine months after restaurants posted appeals to help identify the mystery family who ordered slap-up meals before fleeing.
Staff at the Bella Ciao Italian restaurant in Swansea say they were the latest victims of this heist when the couple sat with a group of eight in their restaurant and left without paying the £329 bill.
CCTV footage from the restaurant showed Mrs McDonagh attempting to pay the bill with a savings account card, which was declined twice.
She told staff her son would wait inside while she went to get her 'other card', but she did not return and moments later the boy had also vanished from the premises.
Do YOU know the dine and dashers? Email [email protected]
Bernard McDonagh, 41, and Ann McDonagh, 39, tried to shield their faces as they arrived at Swansea Magistrates' Court today accused of being suspected 'dine-and-dashers' who were caught on CCTV leaving restaurants without paying
A family-of-eight allegedly racked up an unpaid £329 bill when they sat at the Bella Ciao Italian restaurant in Swansea earlier this year
The Somerset Arms in Port Talbot, The Longbow Beefeater in Pontyclun, the Chilli Too Indian restaurant in Clydach, La Casona in Skewen, the Riverhouse Lounge and Restaurant in Swansea and The Yard in Cowbridge believe that they are all victims of the 'dine and dashers'
In court the pair, who have three children under the age of 16, admitted to five counts of fraud, as well as charges of theft.
The court heard that the couple's dine and dash spree began on August 9, last year, when they dipped out on a £267 bill at River House restaurant in Swansea.
This was followed by failing to pay a £99.40 bill at Golden Fortune, Port Talbot, on January 31, 2024, and a £267.60 bill at La Casona restaurant in Skewen on February 24, 2024.
They then went on to skip out on
