Porridge for man who refused to pay for meal at Plymouth restaurant

AN ALCOHOLIC banned from every licensed restaurant for failing to pay for meals will today be eating prison food.

Christopher Travis, aged 53, clocked up his 88th court appearance, mostly for fraud and eating and drinking without any money for the bill.

He was jailed for two years at Plymouth Crown Court.

Judge Paul Darlow told him: "You have been before the courts time and time and time again for the same sort of behaviour."

He admitted breaching an Anti-Social Behaviour Order and fraud by false representation.

Judge Darlow said he had appeared in court 87 times before and had breached the order 13 times since it was imposed three years ago.

Alistair Verheijen for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Travis had several dishes and a glass of wine in Lorenzos in the city centre on January 14.

Mr Verheijen added that the bill came to just over £20, but Travis then admitted he had no money.

Mr Verheijen patted down his pockets, claimed he had no money and asked to come back and pay later.

But staff refused and called the police.

Mr Verheijen said he was found to have the grand total of 20p on his person when he was arrested.

Travis had been released from prison only three days before for a similar offence.

The court heard he was banned from all licensed premises, including restaurants, in England and Wales under the three-year order.

Plymouth magistrates last month fined Travis for racially abusing a member of staff who refused to serve him alcohol.

He had gone into the Best One store in Union Street on January 12, the day after his release from prison after serving half of a 16-month jail term.

Travis, of no fixed address, had been found a bed in a hostel in Plymouth.

Malcolm Clark, for Travis, said he had turned his life around. He added he wanted to move to his native Oxford where he could be helped with his alcoholism.

He added: "He is not resigned to custody."

Mr Clark said he had enrolled on a course at the Open University.

Judge Darlow said Travis had repeatedly breached court orders designed to protect the public.

He said he wanted to extend the Anti-Social Behaviour Order and expand its terms.

The judge said he wanted to extend the order to protect staff in off-licensed premises.

A new hearing is to be set for the court to consider the order.

The court heard Travis has "bilked" at restaurants across the country including Devon, Cornwall, Derby, Oxford and Lincoln.

Among the restaurants he has targeted is The Royal Clarence Hotel in Exeter, where Michael Caines is the chef.

He was jailed for not paying the £51.52 bill.