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| Belgian man who skipped 100 restaurant bills is killed | Belgian man who skipped 100 restaurant bills is killed |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| He was a “happy-go-lucky” guy who was notorious for spicing up life on benefits in the medieval Belgian town of Ghent by strolling into a restaurant, calmly ordering lobster washed down with the finest brandy or some other gastronomic delight and then walking out without paying the bill. | He was a “happy-go-lucky” guy who was notorious for spicing up life on benefits in the medieval Belgian town of Ghent by strolling into a restaurant, calmly ordering lobster washed down with the finest brandy or some other gastronomic delight and then walking out without paying the bill. |
| But, after 100 or so incidents spread over a five-year spree, Titus Clarysse has turned up dead, prompting police to launch an investigation of “murder or manslaughter”. | But, after 100 or so incidents spread over a five-year spree, Titus Clarysse has turned up dead, prompting police to launch an investigation of “murder or manslaughter”. |
| Newspapers reported that he had been stabbed, but police refused to confirm this and there was no immediate indication of the motive. | Newspapers reported that he had been stabbed, but police refused to confirm this and there was no immediate indication of the motive. |
| However, his past as an unrepentant freeloader is almost certainly a focus of the investigation and questions on detective’s minds will surely include: Did he push a hot-headed chef too far, was he killed by a keenly sharpened Sabatier and just what was his last meal? | However, his past as an unrepentant freeloader is almost certainly a focus of the investigation and questions on detective’s minds will surely include: Did he push a hot-headed chef too far, was he killed by a keenly sharpened Sabatier and just what was his last meal? |
| Tim Joiris, head of the Ghent region restaurant and hotel federation, struggled to believe anyone could have gone so far. | Tim Joiris, head of the Ghent region restaurant and hotel federation, struggled to believe anyone could have gone so far. |
| “Curse him? Maybe. But kill him? That makes no sense,” he said. | “Curse him? Maybe. But kill him? That makes no sense,” he said. |
| Detectives might do well to speak to Mr Joiris, as restaurant owners would often come to him to complain. | Detectives might do well to speak to Mr Joiris, as restaurant owners would often come to him to complain. |
| “It was trouble for everyone. And what's worse, for long nobody knew how really to deal with it,” he said. | “It was trouble for everyone. And what's worse, for long nobody knew how really to deal with it,” he said. |
| “In the end, we knew his face, but you know, on a busy terrace in summer, full of people, he knew how to blend in. | “In the end, we knew his face, but you know, on a busy terrace in summer, full of people, he knew how to blend in. |
| “He did it all, the grand restaurants, the terraces. He really tried them all.” | “He did it all, the grand restaurants, the terraces. He really tried them all.” |
| Mr Clarysse was a “tafelschuimer” — someone who takes everything, even the crumbs, off the table. | Mr Clarysse was a “tafelschuimer” — someone who takes everything, even the crumbs, off the table. |
| “He was asking for it all — the whole menu,” Mr Joiris said with a laugh. “He would sit and wait after the meal — another beer, a brandy. | “He was asking for it all — the whole menu,” Mr Joiris said with a laugh. “He would sit and wait after the meal — another beer, a brandy. |
| “We are not talking about an aggressive guy. He was just happy-go-lucky about it.” | “We are not talking about an aggressive guy. He was just happy-go-lucky about it.” |
| Mr Joiris said that tales of people being forced to do the dishes if they could not afford to pay were “a myth”. | Mr Joiris said that tales of people being forced to do the dishes if they could not afford to pay were “a myth”. |
| Titus Clarysse was known around Ghent (Rex) Restaurants in Ghent, a medieval university town with gabled fronts and terraces on cobblestones, attract an international and varied clientele. | |
| Police spokeswoman Annemie Sirlippens said the 35-year-old Clarysse was found dead in his apartment on Monday night. She said they were looking for suspects in what she called “a case of murder or manslaughter”. | Police spokeswoman Annemie Sirlippens said the 35-year-old Clarysse was found dead in his apartment on Monday night. She said they were looking for suspects in what she called “a case of murder or manslaughter”. |
| On his exploits in restaurant, she said: “We are talking about 100 incidents spread over several convictions.” | On his exploits in restaurant, she said: “We are talking about 100 incidents spread over several convictions.” |
| De Standaard newspaper reported he was living on municipal welfare and often seemed to have what the paper described as the wrong kind of friends. | De Standaard newspaper reported he was living on municipal welfare and often seemed to have what the paper described as the wrong kind of friends. |
| The website Deredactie.be said that Mr Clarysse’s body had been found by his father. It added that Mr Clarysse had been given a six-month prison sentence and a 1,650-euro fine for failing to pay restaurant bills. | The website Deredactie.be said that Mr Clarysse’s body had been found by his father. It added that Mr Clarysse had been given a six-month prison sentence and a 1,650-euro fine for failing to pay restaurant bills. |