Couple plead guilty to 'dine and dash' spree at restaurants across Wales
Bernard McDonagh, 41, and Ann McDonagh, 39, hid their faces from the cameras as they arrived in court.
A couple have pleaded guilty to an outrageous "dine and dash" spree where they left a trail of hefty unpaid bills at restaurants in Wales.
Bernard McDonagh, 41, and Ann McDonagh, 39, from Sandfields in Port Talbot, appeared at Swansea Magistrates' Court this morning and will appear for sentencing at the city's crown court on May 29.
Mr McDonagh, dressed in a pink polo shirt and light grey blazer, covered his face with his hands as he walked alongside his wife, who pulled her hood up over her head and used an envelope she was holding to try to shield her face.
Mrs McDonagh faced five counts of fraud and an additional four counts of theft related to shoplifting incidents, while Mr McDonagh pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud.
In a bid to catch the culprits, restaurants took to social media to identify a family of eight who ordered indulgent meals and then fled without settling the bill.
Over a period of nine months, several businesses complained about the family who often doubled up on drinks or desserts, only to leave without paying for their lavish meals.
The family were caught on camera doing a runner at the newly opened Bella Ciao, in Port Talbot, after gorging themselves on pricey steaks and double deserts in a meal that cost £329.
CCTV of the family shared by Bella Ciao enraged the public and went viral, with more than 12 million people viewing it within hours of it being shared on X, formerly Twitter.
The family had scoffed T-bone steaks, guzzled down 15 bottles of pop and indulged themselves on double desserts before leaving without paying.
Manager Tyrone Reese, who reported the incident to the police, said he had an odd feeling when the family started sending back plates with meals left half-eaten.
He told the Mirror: "They were ordering the most expensive things on the menu, like T-bone steaks and the like.
"My wife said: 'Something's not right'. They went full-on with their order but they were also sending plates back half empty."
The Yard, in Cowbridge, Rover House in Swansea, and La Casone in Skewen, also complained that a family had refused to pay and issued public appeals.
