‘Dine and sprint’ couple ‘brawl’ with employees and ‘throw glasses’ in CCTV footage
A shocking video has emerged showing a couple allegedly attacking restaurant staff in a dispute over paying their bill.
The CCTV footage captures the moment a man and woman brawl with workers at La Bella Vista, an Italian restaurant in St Leonards-on-Sea, near Hastings in East Sussex. The pair, a man in a red top and a woman in a black top, can be seen in a heated confrontation with staff who attempt to escort them out of the premises.
As they leave, the woman is seen seemingly hurling glasses and cutlery before lifting a tabletop and smashing it on the floor.
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Emilia Esposito, the administration manager at the restaurant, recounted the horrifying incident.
She said: “During the course of the meal they were acting strange – refusing to make eye contact and asking for off-menu items.
“They also asked for their drinks to be extra strong.
“They became increasingly rude and disrespectful to us throughout the meal. They complained about the food after finishing their main courses, saying it was disgusting.
“They then said they weren’t going to pay, and because this has happened to us before, we insisted that they had to pay.
“That’s when they started to argue, and it escalated. The man went after our boss and attacked him.
“He came around the back of the bar and started pushing him. The woman then picked up and smashed our glass tabletops out the front of the restaurant. Our boss has visible cuts on his face, the staff have bruises from where they were trying to defend the restaurant and our boss.”
He added: “It’s a scary incident. We’ve all pulled together as a team but it’s scary and never something we’d have expected to happen to us.”
Restaurant manager Kat Cmokova said some colleagues had been left “black and blue”.
She told the BBC: “The owner, my boss, had his finger dislocated and cuts on his face. And the rest of the staff had some bruising.
“My colleagues keep coming up to me to tell me they found more bruises overnight. They are black and blue.”
The restaurant also posted about the incident on Instagram.
Sussex Police said a 39-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, common assault, and assault.
She has since been bailed pending further enquiries.
Officers are still trying to identify a further suspect.
The force said: “On Saturday (October 12), at around 5.40pm, officers responded to a report of a woman and man fighting with staff and damaging property inside a restaurant in Grand Parade, St Leonards.
“A further report was made to police that a weapon had also been used to threaten staff following a dispute over payment of their bill.
“Officers arrested a 39 year old woman from Crawley nearby in Saxon Street on suspicion of criminal damage, common assault, and assault.
“She was taken to custody, and has since been bailed with strict conditions pending further enquiries.”
Witnesses or anyone with footage that could aid the investigation are urged to get in touch with Sussex Police, either online or by dialling 101 and quoting reference 917 of 12/10.
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