A prolific dine-and-dash couple visited three restaurants across four days and racked up £500 in bills by giving several reasons they were unable to pay.
Lauren Halliday and her boyfriend indulged in expensive meals at a number of upmarket restaurants across Newcastle that included Victors, Hula and Lui's.
But the pair strategically crafted a number of explanations for their inability to pay that included failing to return after having a cigarette, alongside problems with their online banking apps.
At one point, the 33-year-old did a runner despite promising to return to the restaurant to settle up her tab, a court heard.
Despite initially appearing to have gotten away with footing bills of up to £500, the pair were eventually caught in the act after CCTV footage was passed to the police, identifying both Halliday and her partner.
