A judge has issued a stark warning about the growing epidemic of "dine and dash" crimes that are pushing restaurants to the brink of bankruptcy across the UK.

The warning came as courts dealt with multiple cases of diners fleeing restaurants without paying their bills, leaving businesses hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

"There is an epidemic of the problem in Cornwall, ordering meals and putting businesses in danger of facing bankruptcy," Judge Simon Carr stated at Truro Crown Court.

"These offences are taken incredibly seriously," he added.

One of the most significant cases involved Pat O'Toole, 41, who committed multiple offences across Cornwall this summer.

In August, O'Toole was part of a group of four who left the Cornish Arms in Hayle without paying a £106 bill.

Just two weeks later, CCTV caught him at the four-star Tregenna Castle Hotel in St Ives, where he and his companions left without settling a £312 bill for food and drink.

O'Toole's criminal activities extended beyond Cornwall, with the court hearing he was part of a group of six who fled laughing after dodging a £403 bill elsewhere in the country.

The father-of-three from Hayes, West London, was eventually arrested in Hayle while occupying a stolen £25,000 caravan in a hotel car park.

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After spending three months on remand in jail, O'Toole admitted to handling stolen goods and making off without payment, expressing shame for his actions.

Judge Carr sentenced him to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

In a separate incident, a restaurant in East Kilbride in Scotland fell victim to a "dine and dash" couple who fled without paying an £80 bill.

The pair dined at La Dolce Vita on October 20, ordering two starters, three mains and two desserts before making their escape.

Staff reported that the diners used a deceptive tactic, leaving a black handbag in their booth before stepping out for a cigarette. The bag was later found to be empty.

The restaurant has released CCTV footage of the incident in an effort to identify the culprits.

Police Scotland confirmed it received a report of theft at 5.45pm and investigations are ongoing.