Man jailed for five months after failing to pay his bill at Merchant Hotel in Belfast
A man who walked out of a five-star hotel in Belfast without paying his £136 food and drink bill has been jailed for five months.
Martin Mongan left the Merchant Hotel after a bank card he produced to settle for his order was declined.
The 37-year-old, of St Agnes Place in the city, pleaded guilty to making off without paying.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard he went into the Merchant on November 12 last year to have a meal.
When reached the bill for £136.62 he offered a card which failed to complete the transaction.
Mongan then produced identification in his name and exited the hotel without any further attempt to pay staff.
Police arrested him a short time later based on the details he had provided at the scene.
Defence solicitor Eoghan McKenna said it had been a frustrating incident for his client.
“He felt that he had enough money to pay for this,” the lawyer submitted.
“He was shocked then that the card didn’t allow the payment to go through and that he had such reduced funds in his account.”
With Mongan having more than 30 previous convictions for dishonesty offences, Mr McKenna acknowledged: “He has got a terrible record.”
A pre-sentence report described the defendant as having “a propensity for aggression and impulsivity”.
District Judge Steven Keown noted Mongan has previously received eight probation-related sentences, but on each occasion those orders were either revoked or he was recalled to prison.
He confirmed: “There will be five months custody.