Widnes man who let his Staffordshire Bull Terrier foul the pavement is fined by Runcorn Magistrates Court

Jun 18 2009 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

A WIDNES man has been slapped with a £275 bill for failing to clean up his dog’s mess.

John Stone, 24, of Cooper Street, was fined £100 and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge and a further £160 court costs in connection with an incident on December 16.

Halton Council said Stone’s Staffordshire bull terrier fouled the pavement only yards away from two of its enforcement officers.

He then said: “What are you looking at?” to the officers, and gave them a two-fingered salute when challenged, the authority said.

When he was confronted further down the street, he allegedly said: “Am I supposed to pick it up with my bare hands, d***head?”

Police were called to the scene, but Stone refused to supply his personal details and continued to be abusive.

He was then arrested and given a £50 fixed penalty notice which he had 14 days to pay.

But the authority said he failed to pay the fine on time, and the council’s legal section wrote to him and gave him a further seven days to pay up.

He again failed to respond to the letter or pay the fixed penalty and incurred further legal costs as a result.

Stone failed to appear at Runcorn Magistrates Court on Monday, June 8 to answer the charges.

The sentence was passed in his absence.