A HARWICH dine and dash conman who racked up over £8,000 in unpaid bills has been jailed for more than 12 months and ordered to pay back £2,500.

Craig Sharp, 52, of Dockfield Avenue, Harwich, admitted five charges of fraud by false representation was sentenced at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Mr Sharp stayed at the Kingscliff Hotel in Holland-on-Sea and ran up a bill of more than £5,000 between April and August last year.

From November 15 to 19, he again ran a bill up of £214 at the Channels Hotel, a 15th century Tudor House in Chelmsford.

Immediately afterwards, Sharp made a hotel booking from November 19 to November 24 at the Angel in Wangford, Suffolk.

But staff grew suspicious when he left the hotel early after only staying three nights, before sending them an email telling them he would return to pay his tab.

During his two-night stay, Sharp consumed 15 pints of Birra Moretti, eight pints of Guinness, seven rum and cokes, three pints of Aspall, five bags of Mini Cheddars and three meals and other sides, leading to a total cost of £452.

Gazette: Caught - The Angel Inn in Suffolk caught Craig Sharp slipping away after not his paying his bill on their CCTVCaught - The Angel Inn in Suffolk caught Craig Sharp slipping away after not his paying his bill on their CCTV (Image: Google Maps)

Bar manager William Tenant previously said: “It’s disappointing. More than anything, we look after people well here all the time, you’ll find plenty of witnesses of that.

“It’s obviously some sadistic game he likes to play or an addiction he’s got if he’s been doing it for so long. So that’s sad really, to be honest. He’s obviously a sad man."

Mr Sharp was jailed for 48 weeks and was ordered to pay a total of £2,579, to the four hotels involved – though his total unpaid bills at all five venues including between April and November was estimated to be more than £8,000.

The court heard that Sharp was the only carer for his elderly parents.

His barrister, mitigating, said the trips were "an escape and a relief".

Gazette: History - Craig Sharp previously admitted two counts of making off without payment from Colchester hotels including from the Blue Ivy in North HillHistory - Craig Sharp previously admitted two counts of making off without payment from Colchester hotels including from the Blue Ivy in North Hill (Image: Web)

Sharp was previously jailed in 2021 for four offences of fraud by false representation.

He also admitted in May, 2017 to two counts of making off without payment at two Colchester hotels including the Blue Ivy on North Hill.