Australian rapper skips dinner bill by swimming off, court told

Award-winning seafood restaurant Omeros Bros called the set of events "really bizarre"

An Australian rapper called 2pec racked up a large bill in a seafood restaurant, before running into the sea to avoid paying, a Queensland court has heard.

Police set off in hot pursuit on jetskis for the man, who later claimed he ran to help a friend give birth on the beach, according to local media.

His bill was over A$600 (£360, $450).

Terry Peck, who has been charged with theft and assault, later said the lobsters were overcooked.

The 33-year-old appeared in court on Monday morning after the incident at Omeros Bros restaurant in Surfers Paradise on the east coast.

He allegedly consumed two lobsters, a baby octopus, 21 vodka oyster shots and "a number of Coronas".

"Oh God! By himself?" said magistrate Joan White when she granted bail, according to ABC News.

You might also like:

• Exhausted horse saved from Australia flood

• Taiwan grandma carried fish in £900 bag

A restaurant representative, Mark Hunnybun, rejected the criticism of the standard of cooking, telling the network: "We pride ourselves on cooking our lobsters perfectly."

Australian media have uncovered some of Mr Peck's self-produced music, including one track entitled Ozi Ozi Ozi Oy Oy Oy.

Spain's El Rincon de Pepin restaurant was at the centre of an alleged eat-and-run case in March

Australia is far from the only country where restaurants face the risk of non-payers.

Last month, Spanish police arrested the alleged ringleader of gang that carried out a series of eat-and-run raids in the country's north.

The group, which comprised over 100 people, consumed about 2,000 euros of food and drink at Bembibre's El Carmen restaurant in March, claiming they were celebrating a baptism.

They fled before dessert was served.

A similar incident happened a week later at nearby El Rincon de Pepin, during a supposed wedding reception.

The group paid 1,000 euros as a deposit, but consumed 10,000 euros of food and drink before running out, owner Laura Arias told the BBC.