Man being deported after refusing to pay £20 restaurant bill

A father of 2 is being deported from Britain - after refusing to pay a £20 bill at a Frankie and Benny's restaurant. Dozy Amit Naithani, 30, ran from a New York-style chain eatery and led police on a high-speed chase - which ended with him crashing a stolen Mercedes.


Driving at up to 40mph above the speed limit, Naithani drove through red lights, "dangerously" overtook a vehicle on a blind bend, and even struck an off-duty police officer, while speeding through Crawley, West Sussex.

The father-of-two, whose partner is currently pregnant, will be deported back to his former home of Kenya after serving a 20 month jail sentence.
At Lewes Crown Court on Monday, he admitted charges of aggravated vehicle taking, driving whilst disqualified, fraud, failing to stop when ordered to do so by a police constable, failing to give a specimen of breath and driving without insurance.

Kriston Berlevy, prosecuting, told the court: "The car, a new 15-plate A-class Mercedes, was stolen from Brent Cross on July 5.

"Some 12 days later this defendant entered an eatery in Crawley, where he ordered £19.30 worth of food and alcohol.

"He was refused a final drink by waiting staff and attempted to leave without paying, before being challenged by one of the management.

"He said he had a friend inside who would pay, before claiming he had money in his car.

"The defendant went out to the stolen Mercedes, where he shut himself inside the vehicle and locked the doors.

"An off-duty police officer who happened to be in the area became aware of the situation and approached the vehicle."As he did so the defendant drove off and hit a black Lexus before striking the off-duty officer. 

"It made him stumble but he did not suffer any noticeable injuries."

The off-duty officer managed to write down the number plate of the Mercedes, which led to police heading out to find the car.
The court heard Naithani refused to give a breath specimen at the police station and told officers "f*** this I can't be arsed".
Lance Whiteford, defending, said: "It is mystery why this bright young man gets into huge amounts of trouble.

"He has just completed a degree in forensic science and sociology at London Metropolitan University, where he achieved a 2:1."

Mr Whiteford added that Naithani moved to the UK with his mother at the age of four and has recently been served papers by immigration officers seeking to deport him back to Kenya.

Naithani was jailed for a total of 20 months and disqualified from driving for four years.
During sentencing, Judge Charles Kemp said: "This is a blatant piece of thoroughly dangerous driving.

"It is fortunate, and I am surprised, no one was injured.

"You drove through red lights and onto the opposite lane of the road causing traffic to swerve to avoid you."