Man 'snatches date's phone after she refuses to split bill'

A man allegedly snatched a woman's phone on their first date after she refused to pay for half of their bill.

Kishore Nimmala is said to have splashed out £54 on two rounds of drinks at a bar in London's Leicester Square, but when the woman – who he had met online – refused to go Dutch and fork out for half of the round he allegedly grabbed her phone and ran away, a court heard.

Prosecutor Helen Thomas said: “Ms Sultana screamed and ran after him. Two passing policemen joined the chase and eventually caught him.

"This is about a first date that goes very badly wrong.

“The issue is, did he intend to permanently deprive her of her phone.”

Kishore insists he was not going to keep her phone and denies theft.