A 24-year-old who got ‘blind drunk’ at the bar of
A 24-year-old who got ‘blind drunk’ at the bar of the fashionable Titanic Restaurant and became abusive over his pnds stlng 900 tab escaped jail ‘by a whisker’ today (Monday).
The recruitment consultant was told his ‘exorbitant drinking’ – including sinking bottles of champagne – ran up a bill he could not meet.
Instead, Rupinder Singh tried to challenge the cost of the night out and caused an unpleasant scene.
He was said to have threatened to kill the duty manager – branding the petite blonde a ‘f+++ing bitch’ – before punching a glass panel and headbutting a table in a dispute over the bill.
London’s Southwark Crown Court heard how an evening’s drinking by Singh and two friends began with a pnds stlng 41.
65 order for seven vodka and mixers.
As they continued to quaff alcohol at the Marco Pierre White establishment in Brewer Street, the friends graduated to champagne.
However, the cost of the spree soared when four bottles of Dom Perignon were ordered at pnds stlng 150 each, and finally two bottles of Laurent Rose bubbly added at pnds stlng 65 each.
Singh, of London Road, Bromley, denied affray and common assault on December 9, last year, but during a trial last month admitted using threatening word and behaviour.
Ordering Singh to complete 175 hours community service, pay pnds stlng 450 compensation to the Titanic, and costs of pnds stlng 920, Judge Robin Laurie said: ‘You attended the fashionable restaurant with friends and got thoroughly blind drunk.
‘At 3am, when you were presented with the bill for pnds stlng 900 odd from the exorbitant drinking, it was found your card, which you had handed in, was inadequate.
‘You became abusive and threatening when you were asked to pay by other means, apparently also challenging the bill, and a very unpleasant and frightening scene developed.
‘
The judge added: ‘Drink as far as this court is concerned, for an offence of this sort, or any offence, is not an excuse.
If anything, it aggravates the offence.
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The judge noted Singh had a conviction for assault in January last year for headbutting a bus driver when drunk and a further conviction for being drunk and disorderly.
‘These offences all in a row.
.
.
.
are disturbing,’ added the judge.
‘When you are drunk, you are a thoroughly unpleasant and aggressive person.
‘In all the circumstances, you escape prison by a whisker on this occasion.
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Nicholas Wells, defending, said Singh admitted he was loudly spoken and aggressive but denied he challenged a bouncer.
‘He accepts he was cheeky and went beyond what was acceptable.
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He said his ‘distressed’ client believed he did have a legitimate dispute over the bill.
‘He did not drink four bottles of Dom Perignon but two, and not two bottles of Laurent Rose but one, not seven vodkas but four.
‘He felt slighted and was not listened to properly, he over-reacted.
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Mr Wells said Singh believed his tab was ‘extraordinarily high’ and a heated argument ensued, the defendant ‘clearly the worse for wear.
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‘He still maintains the bill does not reflect the alcohol he consumed that evening and there was a mistake.
He was not capable of consuming that amount.
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Last month, Titanic manager Jo Flanigan said she had gone to speak with the defendant after the payment would not ‘go through’ on his credit card to ask if he had another form of payment.
She denied she was anxious about the sum owed.
‘It’s not even pnds stlng 1,000, that is not high for the Titanic.
It’s a large bill in anyone’s mind, a large sum of money, but I was not particularly anxious.
‘
And she said at no time did Singh dispute the amount.
Mr Wells asked: ‘He was told very clearly the police were coming and was forced to wait, virtually against his will.
‘He was agitated and upset about the bill and was dealt with almost summarily by staff at the Titanic.
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Miss Flanigan: ‘He was obviously upset about the bill because he couldn’t pay it.
‘I would be agitated if I went to a restaurant or bar and my card would not go through – I would be agitated and embarrassed.
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But she maintained Singh became threatening.
‘If a gentleman stand’s up and says ”you f+++ing bitch, I am going to kill you” and punches a glass petition, that’s not normal.
.
.
I was quite frightened.
‘
And she said other clients were obviously affected by the defendant’s shouting and swearing.
‘Everyone was looking at him and avoiding the area.
He was very loud.
‘If you punch a glass petition and headbutt a table, that is not normal,’ she added.
‘Without question he was causing a disturbance and people were staring at the spectacle he was causing.
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And she accused Singh of trying to provoke staff into violence.
‘He actually said ”C’mon, what are you going to do.
Beat me up because I am Asian”.
We actually laughed and said ”Calm down, this is the Titanic, no-one is going to hurt you”.
‘I actually think he wanted someone to hit him so he did not have to pay the bill.
He was basically trying to wind everyone up and get someone to hit him.
‘I told staff not to touch him and laugh it off.
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She denied ‘bouncers’ were aggressive.
‘My security comes in all ages, races, shapes and sizes.
Mr Singh was not hurt apart from the injuries he sustained himself.
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ends
