Free Night Out Comes At A Price

Two cheapskates are paying the price for trying to get away with a free night out in which a restaurant was left with a £226 bill and a smoker had his remaining cigs snatched out of his hand.

Jobless Gavin Trendell, 34, pleaded guilty to making off without paying his restaurant bill at Zizzi’s (pictured) in Widmore Road, Bromley, South East London on November 10, last year.

Jobless James Woodbridge, 23, pleaded guilty to stealing a pack of Marlboro’s containing five cigarettes from a 42 year-old Dutchman in nearby Queen’s Road after the prosecution dropped a robbery charge.

Croydon Crown Court heard three men ran up the bill in the popular Italian restaurant and Trendell rowed with staff after his bankcard was refused and fled with his two pals.

One of them was Woodbridge, who in a nearby street asked a passing man for a cigarette and shouted: “Bash him over the head,” before snatching the packet.

The court heard Trendell has a history of dishonesty and a previous conviction for bilking a taxi fare.

“Your offences are nuisance offences and they clog up the crown courts,” Judge Ruth Downing told the pair.

Both defendants were conditionally discharged for twelve months and Trendell ordered to pay £120 costs and Woodbridge £200.

Trendall was also ordered to pay £180 compensation to the restaurant.

“The people who run Zizzi’s are entitled not to have people run up huge bills for pizza and other food and then run off without paying,” the Judge told him.