A man from Hadleigh has been sentenced to eight months in jail after admitting a series of incidents where he failed to pay for meals consumed at various restaurants.

Alan Rogers, aged 46, of Market Place in Hadleigh appeared before Ipswich Crown Court today where he was sentenced to a total of eight months' imprisonment.

At an earlier hearing on 23 July, he pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation at court. One on 10 September 2020 in Ipswich, one on 5 September 2020 in Aldeburgh and one in Norwich between 22 July 2020 and 18 November 2020.

He was first arrested, along with a 43-year-old woman from Sudbury, in Ipswich on 18 November last year on suspicion of making off without payment.

As well as the three offences above, he also made admissions to another 15 offences of fraud by false representation that were also taken into consideration when he chose to work with the Operation Converter team. These other 15 offences took place between 17 January 2020 and 28 October 2020.

These included Cobblers in hadleigh and the Marquis at Layham.

Twelve of these offences took place in Suffolk, two in Essex and one in Norfolk with the total cost of the fraud calculated to be more than £1,200.

Rogers also asked the court to take into consideration a further 15 offences:

•Worth £90 from The Black Lion, Long Melford, on January 17,

•£60 from The Cock Horse Inn, Lavenham, in February,

•£96.95 from the Brudenell Hotel, Aldeburgh, on February 7,

•£125 from Steak Lobster & Co, Felixstowe on February 28,

•£30 from The Victory Inn, Wickham St Paul, near Sudbury, on July 7,

•£97.20 from the Bird in Hand, Wreningham, near Norwich, on July 19,

•£108.80 from Hintlesham Hall, near Ipswich, on August 9,

•£55 from Cobblers Café & Wine Bar, Hadleigh, on August 9,

•£146.55 from the The Barn Brasserie, Great Tey, near Colchester, on August 23,

•£95 from The Waterfront Bar Bistro, Ipswich, on September 2,

•£107.16 from the Salthouse Harbour Hotel, Ipswich, on September 10,

•£36 from The Brook Inn, Washbrook, near Ipswich, on September 20,

•£79 from The Beagle, in Sproughton, near Ipswich, on September 23,

•£85 from The Six Bells, Preston St Mary, near Lavenham, on October 27,

•£54.65 from The Swan Inn, Monks Eleigh, near Lavenham, on October 28

They took place at restaurants and pubs at Long Melford on 17 January 2020; Lavenham in February 2020; Aldebugh on 7 February; Felixstowe on 28 February; Halstead on 7 July; Wreningham in Norfolk on 19 July; Hintlesham on 9 August; Hadleigh on 9 August; Great Tey on 23 August; Ipswich on 2 September and 10 September; Washbrook on 20 September; Sproughton on 23 September; Preston St Mary on 27 October and Monks Eleigh on 28 October.

Duncan Etchells of the Op Converter team said: "The selfish actions of Rogers and his so called 'dine and dash' offending would have caused considerable distress and frustration to the proprietors of all the pubs, restaurants and other eateries he visited.

"These were businesses who, at the time, were no doubt struggling to make ends meet in the wake of the covid pandemic with the lockdown affecting the food and drink trade so to see Rogers receive this sentence is very satisfying."

No further action was taken against the 43-year-old woman.

Operation Converter is an initiative aimed at encouraging offenders to admit their crimes.

This has benefits for all – police are able to give victims some peace of mind that an offender has been caught for the burglary of their home or the theft of their property and the individual has the opportunity to clear their slate, so they can have a fresh start when they are released from prison, without the possibility they will later be traced for a further offence.

Offenders have to give sufficient detail for officers to be sure they have committed the crime and these offences are then 'taken into consideration' at sentencing.