A MAN has been ordered to pay £10,000 in fines and costs by Cornwall magistrates after allowing his dogs to stray and cause nuisance on multiple occasions.

Bodmin Magistrates Court heard that Ross Stone, of Cooperage Farm, Trewoon, near St Austell, had a number of dogs that he repeatedly allowed to stray.

Cornwall Council’s stray dog service regularly collected dogs belonging to Stone, returning them to him on receipt of fees.

Because of the numerous incidents and the nuisance they were causing, a community protection notice was served on Stone in May.

Such a notice is intended to deal with unreasonable, ongoing problems or nuisances.

The notice required Stone to ensure his dogs were adequately contained on his property or, when off the property, were under close control.

It also required the dogs to be correctly microchipped and to wear a collar and tag.

Subsequent to the notice being served, Stone’s dogs were picked up by the stray dog service again and no improvement was seen in containing the dogs.

The local community continued to raise concerns about the straying and the harm the animals were doing including killing others’ pets.

Stone did not attend court and the case was heard in his absence. He was found guilty of five charges relating to breaching the community protection notice and fined £1,500 for each breach with £2,500 costs, totalling £10,000.

An application for a criminal behaviour order to prevent him from keeping dogs was adjourned to be heard in March.

The council’s portfolio holder for environment and public protection Cllr Martyn Alvey said: “This is an unusual case where the individual’s refusal to contain his dogs has had a real impact on the community, causing harassment and distress.

“I hope this successful prosecution sends out a clear message that such anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.”