Latest news with #TheHorseAndJockey
New York Post
15-05-2025
- New York Post
Family accused of $200 dine-and-dash wins massive libel settlement: ‘Allegations were entirely false'
The bar for justice is high. A well-off Irish family was awarded nearly $100,000 in damages after being falsely accused of skipping out on the bill at a bar in the UK. 'The allegations were entirely false,' Peter Girvan, the barrister representing the defendants, declared during a court hearing in Belfast on Friday, the Daily Mail reported. The incident occurred in July 2024 after Peter and Ann McGirr, along with their children Peter Jr. and Carol were blasted over 'shocking behavior' in a deleted Facebook Post by the management at The Horse and Jockey in Tideswell, Derbyshire. 3 Management at The Horse and Jockey (pictured) accused the McGirrs of 'shocking behavior.' Google Maps 3 Footage of the family at dining at The Horse and Jockey. Facebook / The Horse And Jockey The bosses had reportedly uploaded CCTV footage of the alleged 'dine-and-dashers,' who they accused of leaving without paying their $200 tab, the BBC reported. The Tyrone residents, who reportedly run a successful engineering firm, had reportedly ordered 10oz ribeye steaks with all the trimmings, two ham steaks and several glasses of ale and lager, per the Daily Mail. 3 'The allegations were entirely false,' declared Peter Girvan, the barrister representing the defendants (pictured). These false allegations were subsequently circulated in at least four different newspaper reports, the court heard. Outraged over the wrongful accusations, the family sued The Horse and Jockey for libel on the grounds that these claims caused severe embarrasment and reputational damage. 'These articles contained serious and defamatory accusations that the plaintiffs had engaged in dishonest and criminal conduct by deliberately absconding without settling a bill of approximately £150 (around $200),' Girvan declared. 'The plaintiffs had not engaged in any such conduct, and the statements made by the defendants had no factual basis.' As compensation for the defamatory claims, the bar was forced to pay approximately $99,500 and also foot the bill for the defendants' legal expenses. Horse and Jockey representatives also accepted that there was 'no basis whatsoever' for the allegations and apologized to the defendants. In a statement read on the family's behalf outside court, the McGirrs' solicitor said that they had been 'vindicated' by the outcome and were 'very satisfied with the settlement,' the Daily Mail reported. Following the verdict, the couple's daughter Carol McGirr expressed her relief on Facebook, stating, ''10 months later.. thank god it's all over and our names are cleared.'
The Irish Sun
10-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Family wrongly accused of pub dine & dash and awarded £75,000 ‘are MILLIONAIRES who rejected pleas to drop lawsuit'
A FAMILY who was wrongly accused of leaving a restaurant without paying the bills have turned out to be millionaires who refused to drop a dine and dash lawsuit. Peter and Ann McGirr, along with their children Peter Jr and Carol, were awarded a whopping £75,000 by the Horse and Jockey pub where the family went for a dinner last year. Advertisement 3 CCTV footage shows the McGirr family having a meal at the Horse and Jockey pub Credit: Facebook / The Horse And Jockey 3 The family seen leaving from the pub restaurant Credit: Facebook / The Horse And Jockey 3 The Horse and Jockey pub in the Peak District Credit: Google Maps They ordered £27 10oz ribeye steaks and two £15.25 Derbyshire gammon steaks, washed down with several real ales and lagers. Soon after they left, the pub posted CCTV footage of the family on Facebook and alleged they left without paying the £150 bill for the fancy dinner. The restaurant even called them out for their shocking behaviour - and the family soon made headlines after being accused of dining and dashing. However, those allegations were later revealed to be false, prompting the family to sue the pub owner. Advertisement read more news The McGirrs had paid their bill in full, but a member of staff at the pub had forgotten to ring the transaction through the till. The pub said that the error was caused by an "inexperienced member of staff" who took a card payment but forgot to put it through the till. The millionaire family sued the pub for libel based on the "serious and defamatory accusations". It is understood that the pub's management settled before evidence was presented - but apologised and acknowledged the distress they caused to the family. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Latest Exclusive Millionaire McGirrs are among the richest people living in County Tyrone. John Watson, the pub's landlord, had to fork out almost £140,000, which included £75,000 in damages and $60,000 in legal costs. Shameless moment 20 Travellers leave restaurant WITHOUT paying £700 bill - as CCTV reveals suspects & cops launch hunt Mr Watson is said to have flown to Belfast to apologise to the McGirrs and even offered them a complement meal and stay at he pub in return for dropping the lawsuit. A source told Advertisement The source said: "A lot of ordinary people might have accepted this. But given the McGirrs' wealth and excellent reputation, that was never going to happen with them. "Their reputation received such a battering they were left with little choice other than to take legal action to restore their name." The family's lawyer said that the pub's claims - and the subsequent news coverage - caused significant damage to the reputation of the family. They told the court: "These articles contained serious and defamatory accusations that the plaintiffs had engaged in dishonest and criminal conduct by deliberately absconding without settling a bill of approximately £150. Advertisement "The allegations were entirely false. The plaintiffs had not engaged in any such conduct, and the statements made by the defendants had no factual basis." A statement issued by the pub last July read: 'We want to sincerely apologise to the people involved because we have now learnt that they did in fact pay for their meal. "There was no dishonesty involved from our staff, it was an honest mistake, but we have dismissed the member of staff responsible for the error." Advertisement
