This man jumped into the sea to avoid paying a huge restaurant bill

The worst part of going out to eat at a restaurant is paying, isn’t it? Nobody likes paying. Especially when it’s really expensive – then it’s even worse.

There are ways to avoid paying the bill: you could do a runner, “forget” your wallet or even complain hard enough to get a free meal. However, one Australian man has come up with a hugely inventive method for swerving the damage.

He nipped into the Omeros Bros Restaurant on The Gold Coast and ordered a tonne of grub and booze: two lobsters, a baby octopus, 21 vodka oyster shots and "a number of Coronas", altogether coming to $620. Then, after eating it, instead of stumping up the cash, he fucking ran into the sea.

They sent out some lifeguards, but they were unable to get him as he kept ducking under the water, so they sent out two police on jetskis who were eventually able to apprehend him and, obviously, arrest him.

But here’s the best bit, the man, revealed to be 33-year-old rapper 2-Pec, gave this as his excuse: “There was oyster shell in the oyster and he (a staff member) said he was going to take care of the bill. They should be apologising to me for the shell in the overpriced food.

“He said he was going to get the bill... I told them to tell the chef it was overcooked.”

“My friend was over the beach and she was having a baby on the beach. Eventually police came and I went for a swim.

“I couldn’t find her and I was going to pay the bill if I found my wallet but I lost everything.”

Of course. Of course. He didn’t pay because the food was shit and his mate was giving birth on the beach. Set him free, I say – I’ve certainly not heard a more watertight excuse than that. It was all clearly a big misunderstanding.

He’s been released on bail, under the proviso that he doesn’t return to Omeros Bros Restaurant – not that he would of course, I’ve heard the oysters are shit.