
Exposed Chef’s Hidden Past: Fraud, Zero-Star Rating, and Munchausen Syndrome Scandal Unfolds
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A celebrated chef at The Crown, a 400-year-old country pub in Llandegla, has been unmasked following a damning hygiene inspection that resulted in a zero-star rating, reported by the Mirror. David James, known as Dai in the kitchen, had been delighting customers with his creative twists on classic dishes since the pub’s grand re-opening after the Covid pandemic. Owners Mel and Brian Braban had been thrilled with the renewed interest in their establishment, only to have their enthusiasm dampened by startling revelations about their star chef.
Unbeknownst to the Brabans, the charismatic chef’s real identity was that of a convicted fraudster. David James is, in fact, David Carroll, a 41-year-old who was found guilty of fraud in 2018. During his trial at Leicester magistrates court, Carroll was exposed for feigning terminal stomach cancer.
He claimed to have only months to live in order to con his then mother-in-law, a disabled widow, out of £2,000 for “treatment” – a ruse that was later revealed to be nothing more than a ploy to fund a holiday in the USA. For this deception, Carroll received a sentence of 26 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.
The shocking criminal past came to light after Denbighshire Council’s disastrous inspection in September. Wales Online reported that The Crown was penalized for storing “rancid” food and leaving the kitchen in a “filthy” state. The inspection report forced the pub’s owners to address a series of significant issues, prompting them to announce on Facebook that the chef was no longer part of their team.
They stated the inspection had found “a number of significant issues in relation to the practices he was following”. However, David Carroll has since accused the pub’s owners of “scapegoating” him with that post.
Carroll defended his actions by attributing his previous conduct to a rare condition. Speaking to WalesOnline, he claimed he had “taken forward” learnings from the inspection. “It’s easy to do that when I’ve got a past,” he told the outlet, claiming that at the time of the fraud he had been “severely ill” with the rare syndrome – a condition where sufferers pretend to be ill.
Carroll maintains that his fictitious illness was a symptom of Munchausen syndrome, suggesting that his actions were influenced by his long-standing health struggles rather than sheer criminal intent.
Following Carroll’s departure, a follow-up inspection in December yielded an improved rating at The Crown, although inspectors noted that some changes, such as the proper labelling of sauce bottles, were still required. The pub’s owners have since implemented these measures.
Carroll, originally from the nearby town of Ruthin, stated he had turned to a career in catering after his conviction in a bid to start afresh. He pointed to his level two food safety certificate and seven years of culinary experience at the time of the inspection.
Reflecting on his past, he lamented, “I’ve gone through hell,” adding, “I’m still getting nuisance calls about it to this day. I was ill. I made a horrible, horrible decision that caused a lot of pain, and now everyone is tarring me with the same brush.” On the zero-star rating, he added: “I’ve nothing to do with it. I was off work just before it happened.”