A VILLAIN known for fraudulently obtaining free meals has been up to his old tricks in Blackpool.
Blackpool Magistrates Court heard how Alan Brown spent five hours eating and drinking his way through £38 of food and drink at Pizza Hut then was unable to pay the bill.
Brown, 53, formerly of St Mary’s Road, Preston, now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to obtaining services by deception when he appeared in the dock in the resort.
Sharon Child, prosecuting, said Brown went into Pizza Hut on Pleasure Beach Blackpool at 11.30am on February 17 and spent five hours eating and drinking.
Eventually, concerned staff asked him to pay the bill but he then revealed he did not have the money to pay.
The court was told that Brown had a criminal record containing 208 previous offences, most for obtaining meals by deception.
Stephen Duffy, defending, said his client was released from prison on February 7 after serving time for breaching a court order imposed for fraudulently obtaining a meal.
The defence lawyer added that Brown was in a vicious circle of being jailed and on release having to make benefits claim and having financial problems.
The defendant was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £38 compensation.
On top of that sentence he was fined £85 costs and must pay an £80 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Margaret McCormack sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.
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