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Tommy Robinson fined £900 for contempt of court

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August 1, 2022
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English Defence League founder has 14 days to pay

Tommy Robinson has been fined £900 for failing to turn up at a High Court hearing to be questioned about his finances.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had been expected at a hearing in March over an unpaid legal bill after he lost a libel case brought against him by a Syrian teenager last year.

Jamal Hijazi successfully sued Robinson after the then-schoolboy was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.

After the incident went viral, Robinson made false claims, including about Mr Hijazi attacking girls in his school, leading to the libel case.

Following a pre-trial hearing in November 2020, the English Defence League founder was ordered to pay more than £43,000 in legal costs.

Earlier this year, Mr Hijazi’s lawyers successfully applied for an order requiring Robinson to return to court to answer questions about his finances on March 22, but the 39-year-old failed to attend.

He was summonsed to court to face contempt proceedings in April and, at hearing on Monday, was handed a £900 penalty after admitting being in contempt of court.

Mr Justice Nicklin said: “I’ve decided to punish Mr Yaxley-Lennon’s contempt by imposing a fine.”

He added that Robinson now has 14 days to pay and could be liable to serve 28 days in prison if he fails to do so.

The High Court was previously told that Robinson was facing mental health issues at the time of the March hearing, which he claimed were a result of being harassed.

However, on Monday, Mr Justice Nicklin said: “Whatever psychiatric issues Mr Lennon had, they did not prevent him from coming to the hearing that he failed to turn up at.”

The judge later said Robinson had recently published a video asking for support, including the words “Don’t let them lock Tommy up again” and “Keep him free of the clutches of the corrupt establishment”.

Mr Justice Nicklin said he had decided to fine Robinson prior to seeing the video and that “it was never serious enough to justify a period of imprisonment”.

The High Court judge also noted that Robinson had legal aid for his barrister for Monday’s hearing, adding: “He was in no need for donations for his representation today, the state was paying for it.”

In June, Robinson appeared at the High Court to be questioned over his finances at the postponed hearing, where he told the court that, in a two-year period prior to declaring bankruptcy, he spent around £100,000 on gambling – largely in casinos.

Robinson was previously jailed after being found in contempt of court after he filmed men accused of the sexual exploitation of young girls and live-streamed the footage on Facebook, in breach of a reporting ban, outside Leeds Crown Court in May 2018.

He was sentenced to 13 months in jail after being found in contempt of court on the day of the broadcast but served just two months before being freed after that finding of contempt was overturned by the Court of Appeal in August 2018.

The case was then referred back to the Attorney General and he was jailed again in July 2019.

Following Mr Hijazi’s successful libel claim, Mr Justice Nicklin ordered Robinson to pay him damages of £100,000 and his legal costs, thought to be around £500,000.

The Independent

Norfolk-based Brexit Party founder punished for Covid protest

By
January 24, 2021
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The Norfolk-based founder of the Brexit Party has appeared in court having been charged with taking part in a coronavirus protest.

Catherine Blaiklock, who ran for UKIP in Great Yarmouth in the 2017 general election, was part of a gathering of more than six people at Leicester Cathedral during the coronavirus emergency period.

Blaiklock, of Lingwood Road, Lingwood, admitted participating in an outdoor gathering of more than six people in Leicester during the coronavirus emergency period.

The case was before Leicester Magistrates Court on Thursday, January 21.

Blaiklock entered a guilty plea through her solicitor Simon Nicholls.

Mr Nicholls told the court his client was not a Covid denier and accepted that coronavirus was real.

He said her eldest daughter was a medical student who has agreed to start giving vaccinations.

But Mr Nicholls said Blaiklock was a libertarian who believed the coronavirus regulations had not been thought through and were too draconian.

He said she believed the government had got it all wrong.

Blaiklock was fined £390, ordered to pay £85 costs and a £39 surcharge.

After joining UKIP in 2014, Blaiklock went onto found the Brexit Party alongside Nigel Farage.

She stood down from the party in March 2019 over anti-Islam tweets.

Blaiklock’s case was listed alongside three others, including Piers Corbyn, the brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who were charged with the same offence on July 7 last year.

Corbyn, 73, from London, and the two others pleaded not guilty to the offence and will stand trial at Leicester in June.

Corbyn, a high-profile coronavirus sceptic, is due to stand trial at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court in March after having been part of an anti-coronavirus protest in Norwich in September last year.

He has denied a charge of holding or being involved in holding a prohibited gathering of more than 30 people on land in a public outdoor place during the emergency period.

Demonstrators wielding placards gathered at the Haymarket on Gentleman’s Walk in the city centre at shortly after midday on September 24.

A crowd of about 50 people took part in the event that was part of a series of 27 protests being held throughout September in towns and cities across the UK – dubbed the ‘Covid-19 Truth Tour’.

Eastern Daily Press

Sunderland man given cannabis plants by friend landed in court after police called at his home

By
January 24, 2021
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A man given five cannabis plants as reward for helping a pal clear away a drugs farm was caught when police called at his home on an unrelated inquiry.

Kieron Wright, 27, at first refused to come to the door of his home in Grafton Street, Millfield, Sunderland – and his mum even denied he was at home.

When he then climbed out onto a roof to shout to ask them what they wanted on Tuesday, September 8, officers could already smell the drug from the street.

Wright then came clean about his crime – but his openness led to him being charged with a more serious offence, magistrates in South Tyneside were told.

They heard he told police how he had attained the batch, meaning he was charged with cannabis production rather than possession.

Prosecutor Marc Atkins said: “Officers attended an address in Grafton Street, in order to arrest the defendant for another offence.

“The defendant’s mother said he wasn’t at the property, but the defendant then climbed out of the loft and came onto the roof and asked what they wanted.

“He refused to come down to the door. To his credit, he told them that he had cannabis in the loft that they could also smell.

“After about ten minutes he let them in. There is cannabis bush on the loft floor and some more hanging on a radiator.

“He told officers that he had helped a friend dismantle a cannabis farm and that he was given five plants.

“There was 215g of cannabis, which was for his own use. There was no equipment for commercial production.”

Mark McAlindon, defending, said Wright had previously used crack cocaine and switching to cannabis was a way to move to a lesser drug.

He added: “The yield from the drugs was about 40g. It’s now an offence of some age.

“This could have been charged as possession, but it was production due to what he said in his interview.”Wright was fined £120 after pleading guilty to production of a controlled Class B drug, and must pay £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

Sunderland Echo

Tommy Robinson banned from all football matches for 4 years after punching England fan

By
December 15, 2020
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EXCLUSIVE The far right extremist, 38, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was filmed punching a Three Lions fan to the ground in Portugal

Far right extremist Tommy Robinson has been banned from all football matches – including England – at home and abroad for four years.

The thug, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, 38, was filmed punching a Three Lions fan to the ground in Portugal during the Nations League finals.

That footage, obtained by the Mirror, was used by Bedfordshire Police to bring a civil case against Robinson this week.

It resulted in an order banning him from “all regulated football matches, home and abroad” for four years – including England at the next two Euro tournaments and the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

Dep Chief Constable Mark Roberts, National Police Chiefs’ Council Football Policing Lead, said: “This is a really positive result.”

Robinson was seen thumping a fan before England’s 3-1 defeat to Holland in Guimaraes on June 6, 2019.

The former English Defence League leader approached the England fan, who told him: “You do not represent me.”

A witness said: “Robinson throws a punch. This is from a man trying to become an MEP.” Robinson said the fan had been rowdy and abusive.

Robinson had posted a message before the game saying: “No football banning order here, mate.”

The remark was believed to refer to a banning order Bedfordshire Police applied for over a flag reading “F*** ISIS” at Euro 2016. They said it was inciting hatred against Muslims but he successfully challenged it.

The force worked with the UK Football Policing Unit to obtain the order banning him from football matches.

He was also ordered to pay £3,600 in costs.

A court spokeswoman confirmed the order was granted for “causing or contributing to violence”.

In 2011, Robinson was convicted of hooliganism for leading 100 Luton Town fans in a clash with Newport County fans.

He lost his £5,000 deposit in the European election last year after getting just 2.2% of the vote in the North West.

After the incident in Portugal, he said: “I was with my wife. If people get physical, I am not going to wait for them to attack me… the man needs to keep his views to himself.”

Daily Mirror

James Goddard given restraining order after calling Independent journalist ‘vile scum of the earth’ in court confrontation

By
November 27, 2020
Uncategorized

Far-right activist handed fine and told not to contact correspondent following March 2019 incident

Far-right activist James Goddard has been handed a fine and given a restraining order after abusing an Independent journalist outside a packed courtroom.

Goddard was found guilty on Thursday at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court of a public order offence relating to a confrontation with home affairs and security correspondent Lizzie Dearden.

Goddard, who was a prominent figure in pro-Brexit ‘yellow vest’ demonstrations, called Ms Dearden “scum of the earth” and “vile” at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in March 2019.

Ms Dearden was at the court to cover the trial of Goddard, 31, who had been charged with harrassing pro-Remain MP Anna Soubry and calling her a “Nazi”.

Goddard recognised Ms Dearden, who has reported extensively on the far right, and acted toward her in an “aggressive manner”, Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court was told.

In finding him guilty, district judge Andrew Sweet said Goddard had been “threatening and abusive” towards Ms Dearden.

Giving evidence, Ms Dearden said she arrived outside the courtroom where Goddard’s hearing was being held but at that moment the defendant “came out walking extremely fast”.

The journalist told the court she “took a step back” but Goddard “seemed to recognise” her and “started shouting… ‘that’s Lizzie Dearden from The Independent’.”

She added: “He started walking towards me quite fast. I remember hearing the words ‘vile’ and ‘scum of the earth’. My immediate reaction was to get into the court to get away from him.”

Ms Dearden said she was unable to get into the courtroom because staff told her it was full.

Asked by prosecutor Leo Seelig how she felt, Ms Dearden said: “I was frightened when he came towards me, he is quite a big guy and he looked extremely angry.”

Carly-May Kavanagh, who was with Ms Dearden at the time of the confrontation, described Goddard as “aggressive and confrontational”.

She said: “He was raising his voice, he was shouting about Lizzie but he also stepped towards us, and it was at that point I walked off because I was worried it could get physical.”

District judge Andrew Sweet stopped the proceedings on a number of occasions to tell Goddard, from Greater Manchester, to stop interrupting from the dock.

Taking the stand, the defendant, who was accompanied by several supporters in the public gallery, told the court there were “hundreds” of people at his March 2019 trial and he felt “very anxious” because of a large police and press presence.

Goddard said the exchange with Ms Dearden happened as he was coming out of the court, when he “laughed and said ‘ha you’re not coming in, you scumbag’.” He denied referring to Ms Dearden as “vile scum of the earth”.

Goddard denied his words or behaviour were threatening or abusive. He added: “If you can’t be called a scumbag maybe you are in the wrong profession, maybe you shouldn’t be a journalist, maybe you should go work in a warehouse.”

The Independent

Borders community council chairman hit with £500 court bill for breaching race hate laws

By
July 16, 2019
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Gregory Lauder-Frost.

A Borders community council chairman and political activist has fallen foul of race hate laws after a social media row with a 21-year-old student.

Gregory Lauder-Frost, 67, sent Isadora Sinha messages telling her to “go home” and saying she had “no right to be in our country or arguing with a superior race”.

As their online argument continued, he posted threats saying: “As the KGB say, you are on the list. Don’t get too comfortable.”

Lauder-Frost, founder and vice-president of the Traditional Britain Group, an organisation calling for members of ethnic minorities to be returned to what it describes as their natural homelands, tried to dismiss those remarks as “throwaway” comments as part of a Facebook debate.

He also claimed that he had been provoked.

However, following a trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court last week, he was convicted of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by posting offensive and racist comments likely to cause a reasonable person fear and alarm from his home in Mordington in Berwickshire last year.

A former leading light in the Monday Club, a right-wing Conservative Party pressure group, Lauder-Frost has courted controversy in the past with his extreme views.

He caused an outcry with his comments about Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, mother of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence and a campaigner against racism, referring to her as “anti-English” and not suitable for the House of Lords.

In 2013, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg issued a public apology after attending a dinner hosted by the Traditional Britain Group, admitting it was “unquestionably a mistake” and describing the views of Lauder-Frost as “disgusting”.

This is the first time that the married father of two has been convicted of a criminal offence over his extreme political views, though, and his conviction at Jedburgh Sheriff Court is being seen as a message sent out by the Scottish legal authorities that racist and threatening remarks will not be tolerated on social media despite being notoriously difficult to prove.

He was fined £300 and ordered to pay £200 compensation to Ms Sinha after being found guilty of the racially-aggravated offence.

The trial heard evidence by video-link from Ms Sinha, a postgraduate genetics student at Cardiff University who describes herself as British-Indian despite being born in Hong Kong.

She explained how a video popped up up on her Facebook page from an Arthur Hargrave on British ethnicity which she commented on as she objected to the views being expressed.

A message then came up on April 25 last year sent from Lauder-Frost’s profile saying: “You are not British. You are someone of foreign ethnicity.”

Further such messages followed during the exchanges, with one saying: “It is not skin colour that matters, it is race. Your natural home lies out of the UK.”

“Please go back to your natural homeland instead of insulting us.”

Lauder-Frost later sent a picture of two light-skinned women saying: “Here are Caucasians,” adding afterwards: “I am not a white nationalist. I want to keep Britain British. If you are not ethnically British, you are not British.”

Other messages from his profile stated “you have no right to be in our country or arguing with a superior race” and “what do you think you are doing in my country?”

Lauder-Frost then sent more messages referring to “aliens” and “British haters” and urging her to “go home”.

He also said that non-Europeans should be returned to their natural homelands.

Ms Sinha responds to messages from both Lauder-Frost and Hargrave saying: “Both of you do not get the point. Try and research a bit more.”

She added another comment explaining why she feels she felt qualified to offer opinions, saying “considering I am a geneticist and have got an education in this. You two are just plain racist”.

Asked for her reaction to the views she was responding to, Ms Sinha replied: “Sadness, I suppose. I was taken a bit aback. I was not expecting it.”

However, she implied matters turned even more sinister when she received messages saying: “As the KGB say, you are on the list. Don’t get too comfortable.”

Asked for her interpretation of those comments, Ms Sinha said she took them as a threat, explaining: “No one has the right to make those kind of comments. The KGB killed people on their list. They tortured them and airbrushed them out of photos.

“Not only did he want me out of the country, he wanted me airbrushed from this country.

“I took the ‘don’t get too comfortable’ comment as a threat as well. The comments caused me to worry.”

Ms Sinha, who insisted she was proud to be British, rejected the suggestion that was a general view, saying that she was named in the comment and believed she was being targeted.

Under cross-examination from procurator fiscal Graham Fraser, Lauder-Frost gave his version of events about the Facebook exchange with the student 46 years his junior.

Asked if he had made the comment “please go home”, he replied: “Probably out of frustration.”

He continued: “She kept going on and on, and she was only halfway through a downmarket university course on genetics.

“I was insulted as she was lecturing us when she was making these comments.”

Asked to clarify what he meant about Cardiff’s being a downmarket university, Australian-born Lauder-Frost, holder of an Oxford University degree in modern history and a doctorate, said: “Some are better than others on a sliding scale, I am afraid.”

The pensioner pointed out he did not know who Ms Sinha was and had only found out about her when she responded to the Facebook thread and then checked her profile.

He added: “These debates are going on all the time on Facebook, and I don’t believe anyone takes them particularly seriously.

“Obviously, I have learned a lesson by being here today.

“Through this whole thread, I felt Miss Sinha was being very very provocative.”

When quizzed about his comment about her having no right to be in this country or argue with a superior race, he stated: “I felt she was arguing with the British and the Caucasians.

“She was an alien in this country, my country, and putting forth insulting arguments. She was postulating.”

Asked to explain his question “what are you doing in my country?” and his comment “go back to your natural home and stop insulting us”, he replied: “I was getting a bit tired. You get these throwaway comments on Facebook.

“It’s just amazing that this has ever reached court.

“It is a snowflake reaction. These are throwaway comments. I never meant for this girl to be abused or to be in fear. I don’t even know where she lives or anything about her.

“It is a debate or an argument. We are going down a dark path trying to regulate speech.

“I don’t see why you are singling me out.”

Mr Fraser, summing up for the prosecution, said: “The accused fully accepts he made the observations and he behaved in a way he knew would offend her.”

He highlighted the distress and upset caused by the messages adding: “He was responsible for that.”

Defence lawyer Robert More contended that his client had sent his messages in the context of being provoked but had stopped when asked to by Ms Sinha’s mother.

He said: “This was an intelligent young woman who was keen to get involved in a political debate but then, having been offended, decided to report the matter to the police.

“She did not stay out of the debate but continued.

“It does not prove there has been a contravention of section 38 of the act.”

Finding him guilty following a four-hour trial, sheriff Peter Paterson told Lauder-Frost he had crossed the line by making threatening comments which would have caused a reasonable person fear or alarm.

Regarding the racial element of the charge, he said: “The comments are racist. They clearly are.”

Sheriff Paterson gave Lauder-Frost three months to pay the fine and compensation in full.

Lauder-Frost, chairman of Foulden, Mordington and Lamberton Community Council, declined to comment on leaving court, though he has ince informed us that he intends to lodge an appeal.

Southern Reporter

Supreme Court appeal blocked for man in Pug Nazi salute case

By
January 23, 2019
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Mark Meechan's clip was viewed more than three million times on YouTube

Mark Meechan’s clip was viewed more than three million times on YouTube


A man who was fined for posting an online video of a dog carrying out Nazi salutes has failed in a bid to challenge his conviction.

Mark Meechan recorded his girlfriend’s pug, Buddha, responding to statements such as “Sieg Heil” by raising its paw.

He was fined £800 at Airdrie Sheriff Court and had hoped to challenge the case at the highest court in the land.

But this has now been blocked by Scotland’s most senior judges.

Meechan, from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, has raised more than £75,000 through an online appeal to help pay for the challenge.

The 31-year-old denied committing an offence under the Communications Act during a trial at Airdrie Sheriff Court last year but was found guilty of breaching it by posting the grossly offensive film.

He claimed that the video was only intended as a joke to upset his girlfriend.

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll fined him £800 and a subsequent attempt by Meechan to challenge his conviction at the Sheriff Appeal Court, where the judges are senior sheriffs, failed after it was rejected in the initial sifting process.

Meechan’s lawyers then raised a petition seeking to have the High Court use its powers to allow an appeal to be taken to the UK Supreme Court in London.

But Scotland’s senior judge, the Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway, sitting with the Lord Justice Clerk, Lady Dorrian, and Lord Menzies rejected the move, saying they had no powers to allow any further appeal in the circumstances of the case.

‘Consequences have been immense’

Meechan had sought to pursue a human rights appeal including a claim under article 10 which covers freedom of expression.

His senior counsel, Dorothy Bain QC argued that the petition was competent and necessary to advance the challenge brought by Meechan.

She said: “The consequences of his conviction for this breach of the Communications Act have been immense for him both professionally and personally.”

Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC, for the Crown, counter argued that the Sheriff Appeal Court had exercised its powers in accordance with statute and called on the judges to refuse Meechan permission to appeal.

Meechan, who posts videos under the name Count Dankula, has a target of raising £100,000 to cover the cost of his appeal.

BBC News

Man fined after racially abusing train guard

By
November 4, 2018
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A North Tyneside man who racially abused a train guard after refusing to pay his fare has been fined.

Sean Thomas McCurry, 39, of Harlow Avenue, Backworth, pleaded guilty to fare evasion and racially abusing the guard at Penrith station on Friday, January 12.

He was fined £160 by Carlisle magistrates and ordered to pay £115.90 in compensation, a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £400.

The court heard how McCurry had boarded the late-running Trans Pennine service to Manchester Piccadilly at Penrith and sat in the first class carriage.

Shortly afterwards the guard began a routine ticket inspection. When he approached McCurry, he told him that he didn’t have a ticket and would not be buying one as the train was late. The guard repeatedly told him that he must buy a ticket but McCurry refused.

When McCurry left the train at Penrith, the guard told him that he would not be permitted to travel on any services he was working on in the future because he had refused to pay for his journey. McCurry responded with an expletive-filled racial slur.

The incident was reported to police and McCurry was arrested for fare evasion and a religiously-aggravated public order offence.

In police interview, McCurry boasted of his support for the British National Party and told of his hatred of Muslims.

Investigating officer PC Stuart Bingham said: “This was a loathsome verbal attack on someone who was just doing their job. Any abuse of this nature will not be tolerated whether directed at a member of the public or rail staff. Hate crime is not acceptable in any form.

“Despite everyone else on the service paying for a ticket, McCurry thought he was entitled to free travel – something he will now regret given he must fork out more than £700, a considerably larger sum than the original fare.”

Adam Swallow, British Transport Police liaison manager for TransPennine Express, said: “Any form of hate crime is totally unacceptable and instances of abuse towards our staff will not be tolerated. Everyone that travels by train should have a valid ticket or pass.

“We continue to work with the British Transport Police to ensure our colleagues and customers are safe and secure.”

News Guardian

Protestor injured officer while trying to break through police lines as rival demonstrations took place in Sunderland

By
October 16, 2018
Uncategorized
Thomas Allen being led away by police during the demos in Sunderland

Thomas Allen being led away by police during the demos in Sunderland

A protester used his head as a weapon to charge at and injure a policeman battling to keep rivals apart during a mass demonstration in Sunderland city centre, a court heard.

Thomas Allen, 58, has been fined and ordered to pay the officer compensation by magistrates who scolded him for his actions.

They were told the unprovoked attack caused the PC to tumble to the ground, causing grazing to an arm.

Despite the assault, he was able to keep hold of Allen, of Hartside Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, who was arrested.

Even Allen’s defence solicitor admitted his client was still “hyped up” when later questioned at a police station.

Sentencing Allen, who is believed to be jobless, magistrates in South Tyneside criticised him for being part of trouble which led to three arrests on the day.

Democractic Football Lads Alliance protest through Sinderland City centre

Democractic Football Lads Alliance protest through Sinderland City centre

They said police had better things to do than wrestle with a man of his age during what should have been an entirely peaceful protest.

The court heard Allen was part of two marches organised by left and right wing groups which descended on the city on Saturday, September 15.

One was by Wearside-based Justice for the Women and Children Group, which was joined by the Democratic Football Lads Alliance (DFLA).

A counter demonstration was held by Sunderland Unites and Stand Up To Racism North East, which included members of trade unions, political parties and politicians.

Trouble flared close to Keel Square when members of the DFLA ignored march stewards and tried to break through the police lines which separated them from the other group.

Prosecutor Lesley Burgess said: “The officer was in uniform and part of an incident ongoing in Sunderland city centre.

“He was keeping the peace between left and right wing activists. As part of the cordon, he was directing members of the protest.

“He instructed Mr Allen to continue on his way and in the direction of where the demonstration was a heading.

“Mr Allen took no notice. He ducked his head and charged at the officer into his stomach.

“The officer says that he had no regard for him and forced him to fall backwards, and they were both forced to the floor together.

“He kept hold of him and got a graze to his elbow.”

Harry Burn, defending, described Allen, who admitted one charge of assault when he appeared in court, as “hyped up” even after his arrest.

He said his client had denied the offence when interviewed, but admitted he might have pushed the policeman.

Mr Burn said: “It was not nice for the police officer. But the injury is what it is, it’s a graze to an arm.

“It’s not too serious. He hasn’t needed medical support, but it was his job and he didn’t need that to happen.

“Mr Allen apologises to the officer and to the court.”

Magistrates fined Allen £80 – reduced from £120 due to his guilty plea – and ordered him to pay £100 compensation to the officer.

He must also pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 court costs, with the entire amount being paid at £10 a week.

Sunderland Echo

Dirty dogs land Accrington owner with court bill for £500

By
August 3, 2018
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AN ACCRINGTON dog owner who let his pets foul outside the council’s main office building has been told to pay more than £500.

Nigel Hesmondhalgh was convicted after council staff spotted one of his three dogs — none of which were on a lead — defecating in the garden area outside Scaitcliffe House, in Ormerod Street.

The 41-year-old, who lives in Ormerod Street, also allowed one of the dogs to foul on a grass verge further up the street, Blackburn Magistrates’ Court heard. He did not pick the mess up on either occasion.

The incidents were caught on CCTV and Hesmondhalgh was issued with two fixed penalty notices, which he failed to pay.

Hyndburn Council said he also ignored enforcement officers when they tried to talk to him about the matter on several occasions. Hesmondhalgh failed to turn up in court and so was convicted in his absence. He was fined £200 plus £20 victim surcharge, and ordered to pay £281.96 in prosecution costs.

Cabinet member for environmental services, Coun Paul Cox, said: “There is no excuse for not picking up after your dog. We have plenty of dog bins around the borough.

“This case highlights that there is an irresponsible minority who fail to pick up faeces left by dogs in public places, which is not only unpleasant, but can also transmit disease to other dogs and humans.

This case sends a strong message to irresponsible dog owners.

“We take a tough line on this kind of offence and will take people to court if necessary.”

Residents are offered £50 rewards for information on dog owners who allow their pets to foul public spaces, as part of a council drive to tackle dog fouling, subject to conditions.

To report anyone you witness allow-ing their dog to foul in a public place or any other dog related offence, call the council on 01254 388111
Lancashire Telegraph.

From 2014