News

TWO Barnsley residents have been fined hundreds of pounds for not picking up after their dogs.

Richard Twidale-Smith, 47, of Wilkinson Road, Elsecar, was prosecuted for failing to pick up after his dog had fouled council land at a playing field off Milton Street, Hoyland.

He had been given a £50 fixed penalty fine but had not paid it. At court, he received a total fine of £466.20, which included payment towards the council’s prosecution costs.

Lisa Marie Hodgson, 27, of Rose Avenue, Darfield, was prosecuted for two offences; for allowing her dog to foul, and for littering a wrapper from a cigarette packet. Both took place on playing fields off Barnsley Road in Darfield.

She was given two fines - £50 for the dog fouling incident and £75 for the littering incident - but didn't pay them. She was found guilty in her absence and was fined £200 for each offence, plus council costs - a total fine of £722.96.

Coun Roy Miller said: “Dog fouling and littering are a major blight on our environment, making our open spaces look uncared for and deterring investment in our area.

“Dog fouling, when it comes into contact with skin, can cause blindness through the larvae of a roundworm which it carries called Toxicara Canis; over 100 cases per year are reported, mainly in young children.

“Over a third of all fires result from accumulations of litter. Council officers regularly patrol problem areas, both in uniform and in plain clothes and have a zero tolerance policy. Fixed penalties will be issued to any offenders they catch, and if those penalties are not paid people will find themselves facing prosecution, where the fines in court could be much higher, as can be seen in these cases.”

* Picture shows Coun Miller. *