Judge Rinder viewers in hysterics over ‘most ridiculous court case ever’ as woman sues cafe owner for £20 for shutting
JUDGE Rinder viewers could not believe what they were watching after a woman sued a cafe owner for only £20. Fans slammed the case as the most “ridiculous court cases” ever as one woman sued a cafe owner for shutting her establishment for two days. In an episode from 2019 which replayed on ITV this […]
JUDGE Rinder viewers could not believe what they were watching after a woman sued a cafe owner for only £20.
Fans slammed the case as the most “ridiculous court cases” ever as one woman sued a cafe owner for shutting her establishment for two days.
In an episode from 2019 which replayed on ITV this week, Judge Robert Rinder heard how local cafe owner Amanda couldn’t open her shop in south Wales.
The claimant – Jean – was suing for ‘inconvenience’ because she had been looking forward to enjoying a chicken cajun meal at Amanda’s cafe but for two days ended up going back home for a home made ham and cheese sandwich.
Amanda told the court she had lost her pet hamster and spent those two days looking for it.
As a result she deemed it an ’emergency’ and argued she should not have to pay Jean.
But Jean argued going to the cafe in the small village – where she sometimes sits for as long as five hours – was a very important part of her daily routine.
“I get to the coffee shop, I order my jacket potato and my cappuccino coffee and I sit down to read a book or I’ll chat away to Amanda,” she told the court.
Judge Rinder then joked that “I didn’t need 30 years doing international law” to work on such a case.
“This amenity means a lot to you, what happens if it is closed,” Judge Rinder asked Jean, before turning to Amanda.
He told: “You place is more than just somewhere to get a jacket potato and coffee, it’s a place people have come to rely on one another.”
Amanda agreed and then explained why she shut down, to which the judge revealed “he was still recovering from”.
She explained: “A hamster was eating my car.”
“How is it possible a hamster ate your car?” he then asked.
The hamster – named Houdini – had managed to escaped from its box on the way back from the pet shop and managed to climb under the clutch pedal.
It took her eight days to find it and the hamster managed to ‘total’ her car, be eating through the seatbelts and in the boot, causing about £3,000 of damage.
Following much sniggering around the court, Judge Rinder then explained why he was dismissing Jean’s case.
He argued that even though Amanda’s cafe was used as a community hub it was not a public service that was obligated to stay open, such as a community centre would have to.
“I might not have awarded you the £20, but it seems to me you at least had a happy afternoon with cheese sandwiches and fizzy drinks. Your case is dismissed,” he said.
The judge then turned to Amanda: “I’m shall give you some advice that was given to a well known actor in the 80s, ‘stay away from hamsters and gerbils’. There you are.”
“Today’s #judgerinder is the most ridiculous yet – this lady is suing the local cafe £20 because they had to close because there was a hamster in the owners car,” one viewer wrote on Twitter.
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Another added: “Sweet baby Jesus, is this woman for real!! Suing a woman for £20 because the cafe was closed!! Probably cost you more in the travel to court. What a load of baloney. And the woman who lost her hamster in her car for 8 days, how??”
And a third said: “One of the most ridiculous court cases I’ve ever seen in my life! What the actual f**k? 20 sodding quid?!”