Rata-tatty-touille

Valentines Day is a time to treat your loved ones.

Perhaps a special breakfast in bed on a tray with a red rose in a cut glass vase with affirmations of affection in poetic offerings in outrageously extravagant cards. Some may make a full day of it to include a drive out to a country pub.

What about a slap up meal in a restaurant in the evening?.

Pretty normal occurrences in most places in the world where the particular Saints Day is celebrated.

There was however a recent exception to this type of normal behaviour in the North East England City of Sunderland.

Picture the scene.

The venue, trading under the name of Borneo Bistro regularly features highly on Trip Advisor as one of the top restaurants in Sunderland and has been built up to receive this level of accolade by the owner, Mr Kevin Smith over the last seven years.

The premises do not really fit the typical expectation for a Bistro or Restaurant resembling more of a light industrial shed in a somewhat rough looking area of town. The layout of tables is more like a transport cafe with plain melamine topped tables and metal frame, easy clean chairs. In some similar situations the term "spit and sawdust" is often a rather flattering description.

To capitalise on the generosity of the menfolk of Sunderland, who I would guess get more excited by their struggling football team than taking out the missus or girlfriend, the Borneo Bistro promoted a special meal for the price of £7.25. In fact it was not a Cordon Bleu or Gourmet experience but more of an "all you can eat" buffet.

A customer, Christopher Baker, aged 28 took up the offer. He was not however an obviously romantic type in that he arrived and dined alone. In fact, he had been previously barred from the eaterie by its owner for an unspecified reason but this did not prevent him from sneaking in and ordering the bargain buffet from the menu.

Being Valentines it was understandably a busy evening and Baker, on a CCTV monitoring system had in fact lingered a while until a small grouping of tables had been vacated by diners. This seemingly innocent and patient behaviour was in fact all part of a plan to enact a confidence trick.

Obviously hungry in the way that he tucked into the served dinner Baker was soon seen fiddling about under the tablecloth as though trying to produce something from his coat pocket. This action could be seen on CCTV footage as could the large rat that was retrieved from its cosy fleece lined lair and placed carefully on the floor against the skirting board.

Baker then dramatically jumped up and was seen to shout out in alarm about sighting the rodent and then demanding his money back, the con being to get a free meal.

The Bistro/Restaurant/Diner/Cafe, etc was rapidly vacated by the other customers which gave increased authenticity to the unwelcome and potentially unhygienic presence of vermin. Baker actually left the premises but was shortly to return in a distressed but insistent mood again demanding a refund of his £7.25.

The owner must have at first feared for his livelihood and what Trip Advisor might receive by way of feedback from the evening's diners. Showing some composure, remarkably in the circumstances, the owner began to smell a rat.

The creature, rather cowering than rampaging, its coat in black and white (in the colours incidentally of the nemesis of Sunderland Football Club- Newcastle United) was spotted and immediately arose considerable suspicion.

This was not a grubby, greasy, sticky, urine soaked and insanitary rat straight from the street or sewer but a rather clean and pristine rat. In fact, as the owner later testified it looked as though it had recently been groomed and sported a newly coiffured furry coat.

This was obviously a shop bought pet. Bravado was replaced by practicality and a tea towel and a box with airholes were used to easily capture what must have been a rather bewildered semi-tame animal after all. The commercial origins were confirmed by a Pest Control Officer who took away the cardboard prison and later reported releasing its contents into the wild, or as they say in Sunderland, just outside the city centre.

It was a Police matter to track down Mr Baker but the clear and unambiguous video footage made their job quite straightforward.

The Court Hearing found the perpetrator guilty of fraud by false representation and imposed the penalty of a 12 month Community Order with a rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge plus £7.25 compensation-the cost of his meal.

His legal representative had pleaded in his defence that " he had been drinking heavily and decided to buy a rat for his daughter by way of a present. Unfortunately, he then decided to go for a meal. He sat down and ate his meal. When he had finished the meal, he took the rat out. He is very remorseful for his behaviour."

It is not reported if he apologised to the rat.