SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – A 24-year-old man out of Australia is facing criminal charges after New South Wales Police claim he used a screw to hurt his 1-year-old daughter while dining at a Sydney restaurant in an effort to score a free meal by alleging a faulty highchair hurt his child.
The adage of ‘there’s no such thing as a free lunch’ appears to have manifested into an alleged crime involving an infant in Australia, with a British national standing accused of intentionally harming his daughter to have a meal comped while dining abroad.
According to authorities, the 24-year-old man, who cannot be named due to legal protections shielding the identities of children who are alleged victims of crime, visited Mr. Wong’s, a restaurant specializing in Cantonese cuisine, on June 21st, accompanied with his 1-year-old daughter. Staff at the establishment waived the man’s bill, which equated to approximately $67 USD, after he reportedly claimed a faulty highchair made his daughter cry.
Restaurant staff reportedly reviewed CCTV footage following the allegations made by the British national visiting Australia, contacting police shortly thereafter with claims the man used a screw from the highchair to press into the infant’s leg in order to make her cry. The 24-year-old male was taken into custody on June 22nd after being located at an RV park in the Sydney suburb of Narrabeen.
The unnamed suspect was reportedly charged with domestic violence assault and obtaining a financial advantage by deception, according to authorities, and has since been granted conditional bail while awaiting his next scheduled appearance on July 15th at the Downing Centre Local Court.
A report from The Daily Telegraph described the defendant as part of troupe from the United Kingdom who routinely travel around Australia in RVs, further noting the unnamed defendant is known to use an alias abroad.
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