Mum who 'dined and dashed' after complaining about hair in her food slapped with fine

Rosemary McDonagh near the edifice without paying, the tribunal was told (Image: SWNS)

A mum who did a 'dine and dash’ from a Wagamama edifice aft claiming to person recovered a hairsbreadth successful her nutrient has admitted an offence of making disconnected without payment.

After ordering her to wage much than £150 successful fines and compensation, the president of the seat astatine Maidstone Magistrates’ Court told Rosemary McDonagh, 23, immoderate repetition would spot her facing “serious consequences”.

McDonagh, 23, was eating with a radical astatine the Ashford, Kent, subdivision of the edifice concatenation erstwhile she and different person were near to settee a bill.

However, alternatively of paying, she chose to kick astir the nutrient and past near the edifice without settling the tab, the tribunal heard.

McDonagh, a parent of two, was aboriginal arrested and appeared earlier magistrates connected September 10, wherever she pleaded blameworthy to the offence of making disconnected without payment.

Rosemary McDonagh pictured extracurricular tribunal (Image: SWNS)

Prosecutor Ranji Prashar explained that McDonagh and her enactment finished their repast astatine astir 4.30pm connected January 23.

He said: “There were 5 oregon six others who had ordered food, totaling £226.90. They left, leaving McDonagh and 1 different idiosyncratic behind.

“McDonagh complained astir a hairsbreadth successful her dish. Although the repast was removed and a replacement was offered, she refused to wage and subsequently left.”

Throughout Ms Prashar's questioning, McDonagh remained silent.

Wagamama successful Ashford, Kent (Image: SWNS)

In summation to the Wagamama incident, McDonagh was besides questioned astir the theft of bedding from a Dunelm store connected December 27 past year.

The stolen items, valued betwixt £150 and £190, were taken from the Ashford Retail Park location. McDonagh admitted some the shoplifting complaint and the dine-and-dash offence.

Representing herself successful court, McDonagh described her hard circumstances astatine the time.

She said: “Between December and April, I was successful a tumultuous relationship, and I wasn’t successful the close framework of mind. I complained astatine Wagamama due to the fact that I didn’t privation to wage the bill.”

McDonagh elaborated connected her idiosyncratic situation, stating she is from the travelling assemblage and lives with her parents and 2 young children.

She added, “I don’t work; I’m connected benefits, receiving £600 a period successful Universal Credit. I besides person kid benefits and astir £400 to £500 a period successful PIP for my intelligence health.”

Despite McDonagh’s erstwhile theft convictions and a anterior assemblage order, the magistrates opted to enforce a fiscal punishment for her latest offences. She was fined £138 for the Wagamama incidental and ordered to wage the edifice £50 successful compensation. She was not required to screen the measure accumulated by her chap diners.

Additionally, McDonagh was ordered to wage Dunelm £150 successful compensation for the stolen bedding but did not person a abstracted punishment for this theft.

The president of the seat cautioned her: “This behaviour indispensable stop, oregon you volition look superior consequences. You person 2 young children to consider.”