Man jailed after refusing to pay $98 restaurant bill
A homeless man has been jailed after refusing to pay for a $98 restaurant bill.
Paul Rockett, 64, ate for more than five hours at Frankie and Benny’s, an American-themed restaurant, in Cambridge, England, on December 27, police said.
During his time in the restaurant, Rockett ate a peach sundae, crab bites, penne meatballs and a double Jack Daniels.
But when he was handed the bill he refused to pay claiming the receipt had the wrong date on it.
In an interview with police, Rockett claimed he went to the restaurant “to survive”.
Rockett, who’s also convicted of failing to comply with a sex offender's notification requirement, was jailed for 34 weeks.
He said he didn’t know he had a criminal behaviour order, despite it being issued at court. That criminal behaviour order bans him from entering any restaurant in Cambridge without the means to pay.
The 64-year-old won’t be able to eat at any restaurants in Cambridge for two years.
Constable Brad Munday said in a statement Rockett “never had any intention, or means, to pay for his food”.
“It’s regrettable he’s found himself in this position but, simply put, he broke the law,” Constable Munday said.
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