HAWICK MAN BANNED FROM OWNING DOGS FOR THREE YEARS
A PIT BULL has been ordered to be destroyed and its owner banned from owning dogs for three years following two incidents in Hawick on the same day.Jedburgh Sheriff Court was told police responded to reports of a dog attacking another dog in Havelock Place on June 1 around 5pm.
They found the XL bully-type dog – which was later established to be a Pit Bull Terrier – but it had no signs of blood on its muzzle or mouth.
Officers went to look for the dog reportedly injured and discovered a whippet-type dog with large wounds on its neck area.
Police were called back to the same location about 6pm for an unrelated incident when they found 29-year-old Joshua Morgan-Milne with a dog called Fendi.
The court heard Morgan-Milne was being aggressive towards police officers and making threats and abusive comments towards them and also threatened to release the dog towards them.
The dog continued to bark and growl but did not make any attempt to bite anybody.
Morgan-Milne continued to make offensive comments towards police and he was arrested and the dog seized.
He dog was kept in kennels paid for by the Crown where it was established it was a pit bull terrier and displayed a number of characteristics which made it prohibited.
The kennel staff were unable to enter the cage to feed Fendi due to its aggressive nature.
Morgan-Milne pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a dangerous dog and also behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Defence lawyer Ross Dow explained that Morgan-Milne got the dog as a pup but before he had a chance to get certificates, he was imprisoned and left the dog in the care of a girlfriend.
He said: “He thought it was an XL bully until it was established it was a pit bull.
“On his release from prison he had not got round to certifying it when the incident happened.” Mr Dow said as a dog lover it was not easy to accept a destruction order but he said that they had to accept what was underlined in the background report, adding pit bulls were illegal and under the legislation the destruction order was competent.
Sheriff Kevin Duffy took into account the specialist report about the dog’s behaviour and granted the Crown’s request for a destruction order.
He also disqualified Morgan-Milne, of Wilton Crescent, Hawick, from owning dogs for three years.
Sheriff Duffy took into account Morgan-Milne’s limited financial means and limited the fine to £240 with £20 victim surcharge.
