Story Archive

Like a Blackberry is Worth Enough to Cover Even Half of a Bar Bill

“This case is about a first date that goes very badly wrong,” prosecutor Helen Thomas told the Southwark Crown Court in central London, England. Kishore Nimmala, 32, had taken Fakhara Sultana out for drinks after the two linked up on a dating web site, but Sultana walked out on the date when she learned that Nimmala expected her to pay half of the 54-pound (US$86) cocktail bill. Nimmala ran after her, and “pestered her for money as she walked to Charing Cross Tube station,” but she said she didn’t have cash on her. She says she pulled out her Blackberry cell phone to call for help, as Nimmala was getting angry, but Thomas says he “grabbed her mobile phone from her hand and ran off down the street with it.” Sultana screamed, and two policemen grabbed Nimmala and charged him with theft. “There is no dispute the defendant took the phone from her hand, nor is there any dispute he had no permission to take the phone,” Thomas said. “The issue is did he act dishonestly when he took the phone and did he intend to permanently deprive her of her phone?” Apparently not: Nimmala was cleared of theft — but is stuck with a 1,200-pound (US$1,925) bill for his legal defense. (RC/London Telegraph, London Evening Standard) ...Enough for 22 dates, with a little change left over.