Man Taken to Court for Flouting Beach Dog Ban

Thu, 18 Dec 2008

A dog owner has been fined over £450 for allowing his pet to roam free on a canine no-go zone on a Northumberland beach. Richard Brac became the first person to be taken to court for not obeying the ban on Newbiggin-by-the-Sea’s restored sandy beach. Mr Brac was issued with a £75 fixed penalty fine on the spot, but was taken to court by Wansbeck District Council after he refused to pay.

The court decided that Mr Brac should face fines and costs totalling £465 for beaching the council imposed ban. The penalty was issued in his absence as he failed to attend court, but must now pay the fines within 28 days.

Wansbeck Council’s neighbourhood enforcement officer and community safety manager, Sandra Dunn, said, ‘The nuisance caused by dogs whose owners are irresponsible does not only present itself when dogs are present on the beach. The effects of dog faeces and urination remain for many months.’

The ban was introduced by the council in a bid to keep the area clean and safe following the arrival of 500,000 tonnes of sand to replenish Newbiggin’s beach. The ban came into force on March 1st this year but has been met with protest from pet owners, claiming they cannot properly exercise their animals.

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