Brit tourist, 42, thrown in cell after ‘refusing to pay for £640 bottle of champagne’ he ordered ‘accidentally’ in Ibiza
A BRITISH holidaymaker was arrested and thrown in a cell after allegedly refusing to pay for a £640 bottle of champagne he ordered “accidentally” in Ibiza.
The 42-year-old, who has not been named, was handed a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay his bill.
Respected island newspaper reported today that his blow-out meal included a £640 bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal Rose 2008 champagne which the Brit claimed in court he chose “in error” without knowing its price.
According to the report the man had drunk the bottle with his meal.
He was hauled to court in Ibiza Town on Friday morning after two days in a police cell following his Wednesday night arrest on suspicion of fraud.
He is understood to have pleaded guilty as part of a plea bargain deal after being warned the type of fraud he was accused of carries a maximum three-year prison sentence under Spanish law, although court officials could not be reached early this morning for confirmation.
Local reports have described him as “drunk” when he announced as he finished his dessert he would not be paying his bill and was taken away by police.
The restaurant where he has been held has been named as Sa Punta, which describes itself as a “fine dining restaurant” located at the furthest point of Talamanca Bay five minutes from Ibiza Town.
It boasts on its website of being “the unique Ibiza restaurant where beautiful locals, clued-up visitors and the international jet-set rendezvous for fabulous food and chilled out vibes in a truly magnificent setting.”
It was not immediately clear this morning if the unpaid bill, which came to £792, has now been settled.
Last month an Italian tourist was arrested at a restaurant in the neighbouring island of Formentera after ordering mountains of sea food, fish, beer and wine he then failed to pay for.
The 46-year-old claimed he did not have the money to pay the £380 bill after stuffing his face with the best local delicacies.
Juan Yern, owner of island eaterie Moli de Sal, told afterwards how his “freebie” feast included oysters and prawns and revealed the holidaymaker claimed he had lost his credit card and tried to pay for the food by offering him clothes instead.
The Italian is being investigated on suspicion of fraud as part of an ongoing criminal probe.
As the bill came to more than €400 (£366) he could face a prison sentence of up to three years in prison under Spanish law if convicted.
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