Manhunt for serial ‘dine and dash couple’ on the run after dodging bail

Pub regulars tried to stop an alleged serial ‘dine and dash’ couple accused of taking off from at least two restaurants and 10 taxi drivers.

Daniel Alani and Kerry Stevens, both 38, are accused of dodging the £62 bill for a roast at The Castle Inn in Little Wakering, near Southend, in April.

They downed two cokes, an orange juice and a medium glass of white wine with their meal of prawn cocktail, breaded mushrooms and two roast chicken dinners with extra lamb, before trying to bounce.

Landlord Ken Todd, 76, said at the time: ‘For the sake of £62, if they came in and were starving I’d just give them the food.

‘The man tried to leave through the back door of the pub which I had already locked and apparently the woman tried to escape by the bathroom window.’

Kerry Stevens (left) and Daniel Alani (right), both 38 (Picture: Essex Police)

Alani and Stevens were subsequently arrested at an address in Great Wakering on May 2.

Police quizzed them on suspicion of three counts of making off without payment and released them on conditional bail.

But police are now hunting for them again after the couple failed to answer bail last month.

Alani is described as being around 5ft 8ins in height and of stocky build, while Stevens is around 5ft in height and of small build, police said.

They have links to the Southend and Great Wakering areas.

A spokesperson for the force said: ‘Officers are looking to speak to them in connection with ongoing investigations into incidents where individuals are reported to have failed to pay for taxi fares and restaurant bills, as well as a failure to answer police bail.’

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