A SERIAL ‘dine and dash’ couple who skipped paying £700 worth of bills after stuffing their faces at a number of plush restaurants have been jailed for eight months each.
Brazen diners Sean Dempsey, 41, and Kerry Anne Smith, 34, legged it from several venues without paying for their meals.
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They scoffed down meals at establishments across Dundee, Angus and Perth throughout July before leaving without paying their tabs.
The pair also dined in style enjoying boozy courses which included meals at two Indian restaurants, an Italian and a plush bar grill.
The total amount racked up by the pair amounted to £682 during the spree.
The pair pleaded guilty at Forfar Sheriff Court last month and appeared via video link from jail last week to be given their sentences.
On behalf of Smith, who appeared by a link from HMP Polmont, solicitor Billy Rennie said: “The report suggests quite a bit of trauma going on in her life in the early part of this year.
“She does accept full responsibility herself.”
Mr Rennie also appeared for Dempsey, who joined the court via a video link from HMP Perth.
He added: “He accepts that matters, to some extent, were spiralling out of control, particularly because he had financial difficulties.
“He was the one, he says, who was responsible for the planning.
“There was quite a significant amount of social media coverage of the restaurant incidents.”
Sheriff Neil Kinnear jailed Dempsey and Smith for eight months each.
Smith, from Montrose, admitted to four crimes over a 17-day period.
On July 8, she dined at Coast in Arbroath before leaving without paying a bill of £58.75.
She struck again three days later while at Ganges in Carnoustie, fleeing without stumping up for her whopping tab of £175.
On July 18, she racked up a bill of £68.95 at Crido’s in Perth before hotfooting it and on July 25, she ordered food and drink from The Marina in Arbroath worth £77.60 before doing a runner.
Dempsey, from Arbroath, pled guilty to defrauding two restaurants – one in his home town and the other in Dundee.
He racked up a huge bill of £175.68 at The White Goose in Dundee on July 13 and left without paying up and on July 23, a bill of £126.80 was left unpaid at Sapni Tandoori in Arbroath.
The couple also pled guilty to a charge of stealing a vehicle on July 29 from outside Scotmid on Newmanswalls Avenue in Montrose.
Dempsey admitted driving the vehicle without a licence or insurance.
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He also collided with two parked cars in Dalhousie Place, Arbroath, and failed to leave his name and address.
When he was stopped by police, he was almost double the drink-drive limit.
