A con artist who dines and dashes from restaurants without paying has been released from prison, police said.

Eric Austin was jailed for 10 weeks on April 4 for defrauding two city eateries, but by law had to only serve half his sentence in prison.

Thames Valley Police printed posters for restaurants warning them not to serve him.

Austin, of Friars Wharf, Oxford, was banned from Oxford eateries by a Criminal Behaviour Order made at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on March 19.