A woman, identified as Lauren Halliday, and her partner allegedly dined at three upscale restaurants in Newcastle city center earlier this year, totaling £536.95 in unpaid bills. The couple reportedly left each establishment without settling their tabs, using excuses like going out for a cigarette and not returning or citing issues with their banking app.
The restaurants provided CCTV footage to the authorities, leading to the identification of Halliday and her then-partner, both with prior convictions for similar offenses. Subsequently, Halliday faced three charges of leaving without payment and was scheduled to appear in court but failed to do so, resulting in a warrant for her arrest. She later pleaded guilty to the charges upon appearing in court in custody.
During the incidents, they visited Victors, Hula, and Lui’s, accumulating bills of £245, £167.20, and £124.75, respectively. Prosecutors highlighted Halliday’s history of similar offenses dating back to 2018. Her defense mentioned personal challenges she faced, expecting her partner to cover the expenses during their outings.
The court postponed Halliday’s case for a pre-sentence report, granting her unconditional bail until the next court date on October 14.
