The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Man illegally sold imported bulldogs
Peter Manher fined by court after making £15,000 on his illegal business - but only has to pay £1 of his ill gotten gains
A Peterborough man who made £15,000 importing and illegally selling dogs online has been ordered to pay back just £1 after a court heard he has no assets.
Peter Manher (48), of Grange Road, Peterborough, imported nearly 50 French and English Bulldogs from Hungary, before advertising them for sale on websites including Gumtree for up to £1,000.
But following a complaint regarding the sale of misdescribed puppies, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Trading Standards launched an investigation.
The investigation revealed he did not have a licence to sell the dogs, and did not reveal to potential customers that the animals had been imported.
Last week he appeared at Peterborough Crown Court, where he was fined £500 and ordered to pay £1,000 towards prosecution costs. The court also imposed a £15,000 confiscation order - but Manher was told to pay just £1 after the court heard he had no assets. Should he ever be in the position to pay the £15,000, he will be ordered to stump up the sum.
Judge Matthew Lowe, sentencing, said: “When you advertised those dogs for sale, you did not declare that they were non-UK bred. That places you in default of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.
“Because you were selling dogs without the requisite pet shop licence, you committed the Animal Welfare Act offence. These dogs were being sold for significant amounts of money. Hundreds and hundreds of pounds. I note in passing the agreed benefit figure of £15,000 for the purpose of confiscation proceedings.
“You were not carrying out this business in ignorance of the law.
“You had had two shots across your bow in 2016 and more particularly in 2017. In 2017, you were advised both verbally and in writing about the requirements to have a pet shop licence.
“Despite that warning, you continued to behave in the way you did.”
The dogs seized by the trading standards team have now been re-homed.
Peter Gell, head of regulatory services at Peterborough City Council, said: “We welcome this sentence as it recognises the cruel, persistent nature of Manher’s offending.”