A DOG owner has been convicted for the second time after letting his Doberman stray into an open space after previous warnings.

Peter Woods of Church Road, Rainford, was ordered to pay a total of £1,540 after being found guilty in his absence at Liverpool and Knowsley and St Helens Magistrates’ Court, for continually breaching a Community Protection Notice.

On June 27 2016, Woods was reported to St Helens Council’s Dog Welfare and Enforcement team, after a council employee witnessed his Doberman type dog straying on an area of open space adjacent to Church Road, Rainford.

The court heard how his conduct had been deemed by to be persistent, of a continuing nature, and having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality.

From 2011 to 2015, Woods, 66, was found to have allowed his dog to stray in a public place and to enter private properties without permission, despite receiving numerous written warnings.

It was only when the new Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 was introduced, that the Dog Welfare and Enforcement Service was able to effectively resolve the matter.

Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron, cabinet member for green, smart and sustainable borough, said: “To allow a dog to roam around a public space where it is not permitted once is bad enough, but to continue to allow this to happen, despite numerous warnings and a previous conviction, is just sheer ignorance.

“In this case, the service had no option but to use new anti-social behaviour legislative powers to resolve this matter which has left the offender with a rather large fine to pay for something that could have easily been avoided.

“I’m pleased with this outcome. It shows that we will not stand for offences like this - which are a nuisance to society - to go unpunished."

Woods, was issued with a Community Protection Notice in February 2015, but despite this, he continued to allow his dog to stray and was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 for the most recent incident.

However, he did not accept liability for the offence, resulting in the service taking legal action.

Woods was fined £880, with costs of £572 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £88.