Alex Trelinski
A 50-year-old Latvian man is enjoying the culinary delights of Fontcalent prison after notching up 15 arrests for not paying his restaurant bills.
The diner struck in the downtown area of Alicante City and also at San Juan beach.
In just two months, 15 restaurants were defrauded of €766 after he tucked into their food.
He also stole a coat from a cafeteria valued at €484.
Business owners were left powerless each time, as they were left out of pocket and could only call the police, who arrested him after every incident.
He would be bailed after an overnight stay in the cells, as his offence was considered as minor fraud, leaving him free to hoodwink another establishment.
In one case, he threatened a waiter with a knife after refusing to pay.
The man- named as Aidas J- was last arrested in mid-December when he had an entrecote steak at a well-known San Juan restaurant and refused to pay his €67-50 bill.
An Alicante court fined him €900 and ordered the diner to pay €67.50 in compensation to the establishment.
Aidas J refused to pay and was hauled before a judge on Thursday after the time period to sort out the penalty elapsed.He was sent to Fontacalent prison for 22 days, after which Alicante restaurateurs will presumably start fearing his imminent return.
