Fraudster ran up hotel bills

Gary William Egan, 21, of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, admitted committing fraud by making false representations to obtain services for himself between April 2 and May 6 when he appeared before Weymouth magistrates.

Prosecutor Barry Baines said on Wednesday, April 2 Egan arrived at the Channel Hotel in Weymouth and provided his details as William Wood, of Doncaster.

He extended his one-night stay to three nights, ran up a £320 account and then left without paying. Mr Baines said Egan was arrested a month later on May 6 after the hotel proprietor spotted him in Weymouth and called the police.

The court was told that 11 days after the first fraud Egan and his fiancée booked into the Bay View House Hotel in Weymouth.

Egan gave his details as William Egan and an address in Guernsey.

Mr Baines said Egan extended their two-night visit by another five nights, ran up a £220 bill, then left without making any attempt to pay.

The couple then arrived at the Bay Guesthouse in Weymouth on April 27 and stayed on a bed and breakfast basis of £60 a night.

Mr Baines said once again they left without paying a £540 bill, but the proprietor blocked Egan's vehicle to prevent him from leaving and called the police.

Des Reynolds, in mitigation, said Egan had met his fiancée a year ago while working at a hotel in Guernsey.

The court was told that they had moved to Hull when Egan's fiancée started a university course but came to Weymouth because she suffered from mental health problems including bipolar depression and felt better by the coast.

Mr Reynolds said: "He's got himself into a heck of a mess. He should have contacted the mental health services to see if they could help."

The court was told that Egan had no previous convictions.

Mr Reynolds said Egan had not worked since Christmas and the couple had got by on his fiancée's university grant.

Magistrates ordered Egan to pay half the compensation owed to the hotels and guesthouse.