BANBURY MAN BANNED FROM WALKING DOGS NEAR LIVESTOCK AFTER SHEEP WORRYING INCIDENTS
A man aged 62, Jose Lopez-Vidal, allowed his two dogs, Bandit and Ace, to worry livestock in a field near Preston Capes, just outside of Banbury in west Northamptonshire.As a result of the incident, two heavily pregnant ewes were injured, one of which subsequently gave birth to three stillborn lambs and later died herself.
The incident occurred on March 16 this year, when Northamptonshire police responded to a call from the farmer of the sheep after Lopez-Vidal identified himself as the owner of the dogs.
An investigation by Northamptonshire Police's rural crime team linked the dogs to other recent attacks on sheep on December 12 last year and February 20 this year.
All involved ewes or lambs being distressed, injured, or killed.
Lopez-Vidal was charged with five counts of being the owner of a dog worrying livestock.
He appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court on June 2 and pleaded guilty to all five counts.
He was ordered to pay £1,038.27 in compensation, a £533 victim surcharge, £85 costs, and was fined a total of £1,333.
Additionally, the court banned Lopez-Vidal from letting his dogs near sheep for the next seven years.
An order was also issued requiring him to prevent any dog under his charge from entering land where livestock is present or likely to be present.
A local farmer expressed distress over the incident, stating it was upsetting to see what the ewes went through and losing confidence in people walking their dogs nearby.
Northamptonshire police constable Chloe Gillies highlighted that this was the first known case in the county where a court order like this had been issued, demonstrating the seriousness of livestock worrying crimes.
