Scarborough dog owner fined

Graham Oliver, 54, of Peel Terrace failed to attend court and was sentenced in his absence.

He was fined £500 for exercising his dog on South Bay beach on 20 September, which is within the seasonal exclusion zone, and a further £500 for refusing to give his name and address when requested to do so by a Scarborough Borough Council dog enforcement officer.

He was also required to pay costs of £120 and a £100 victim surcharge.

Harry Briggs, Scarborough Borough Council Environment, Enforcement and Contracts manager said: “This was a particularly nasty case in which the dog owner spat at and verbally abused our dog enforcement officer when she was trying to engage with him.

“Offences relating to the seasonal dog exclusion zones on beaches are ordinarily dealt with by Fixed Penalty Notice fines of £75. However, in aggravating circumstances, where a fixed penalty is not suitable, or declined, then cases are prosecuted in the Magistrate’s Court where a maximum of £1000 fine can be imposed. In addition to this, the refusal of name and address in these circumstances can result in a further £1000 fine.”

Scarborough Borough Council has recently reviewed its seasonal dog restrictions and they now form part of a new Public Space Protection Order.

The exclusion of dogs from certain beaches will again take effect from 1 May to 30 September this year, full details of which will be clearly signposted and are available for viewing at scarborough.gov.uk.