Man fined £1,800 over yard full of dog’s mess
A MAN who refused to clean up his dog’s mess from his back yard has been hit with a bill of almost £2,000.
Oliver Robinson was taken to court by his landlords.
Robinson, a tenant of Six Town Housing in Bury, was served with a legal notice after he was given ‘several opportunities’ to clean up the mess.
But Bury council said he refused, then ignored the official abatement notice.
He was finally taken to court after the council was forced to step in and clean up his back yard on Buller Street, Bury, on three separate occasions. He was billed for the work by the council, but didn’t make a single payment, a town hall spokesman said.
Robinson, 29, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an abatement notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
At Manchester and Salford magistrates’ court he was fined £480 and ordered to pay £673 in costs and £604 in compensation for the cleanup works.
Together with a £48 victim surcharge, Robinson was hit with a court bill totalling £1,806.
The court case was on October 15, but details have just been published by the council.
Disgusting photographs released by Bury council show the state of Robinson’s yard.
A waste bin is also shown overflowing with rubbish.
In a statement, Bury council said: “The Six Town Housing tenant was given several opportunities by his landlord to remove dog waste and rubbish from his garden, but refused to do so, and so the matter was referred to Bury council’s environmental health team.
“Robinson was served with a legal notice ordering him to remove the waste, but he did not do so.
“The council then cleared up the waste and sent him the bill on three separate occasions, but he failed to make payment and continued to breach the notice.”
Council chiefs said the mess posed a dangerous health risk.
Councillor Jane Black, cabinet member for corporate affairs and HR, said: “Refusing to clean up after your pet poses a health risk to the community and your neighbours, and we will take action against those people who do not take seriously their responsibilities as a dog owner.”
Six Town Housing was set up in 2005 to manage the housing stock owned by Bury council.