Yahoo News Dog owner ordered to pay more than £4,000 for not picking up his pet’s poo
A dog owner has been ordered to pay more than £4,000 for failing to pick up his pet’s poo.
Carl Davies was filmed by a resident repeatedly letting his dog mess on public lawns in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, in March last year.
He pleaded not guilty to three offences of failing to pick up after his dog but he was convicted after a court was shown the secret video footage.
The Beach Lawns, on the resort’s seafront, are covered by a council public space protection order making it an offence not to pick up after your dog.
District Judge David Taylor found Davies guilty of all three offences after a two-day trial at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court in Weston.
After legal arguments about the admissibility of video evidence, Davies, formerly of Royal Sands, Weston-super-Mare, now of London, was fined £100 for each offence.
He was also ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £3,873 in costs to North Somerset Council – a total of £4,203.
The prosecution was brought by the council after a local man saw Davies walking his dog on a number of occasions, failing to pick up after it, and began to film him.
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The resident handed his footage to the council who originally tried to deal with the matter by way of fixed penalty notices.
Davies declined to pay the penalty notices and so the council took him to court.
Councillor Peter Bryant, North Somerset Council executive member for environment, said the conviction was a strong reminder to dog owners to pick up after their pets:
He said: “My thanks to council officers for gathering the evidence and prosecuting the case. Thanks too to the resident who helped us secure the conviction.
“Mr Davies showed scant regard for others when he failed to pick up after his dog and he has had to pay a heavy price for his anti-social behaviour.
“This conviction comes as a strong and powerful warning to other irresponsible dog owners.”
