A man was fined £600 for breaking a community protection notice and letting his three dogs run wild.
Kevin Kearney, of Park Lane, Netherton, failed to turn up to a hearing at South Sefton Magistrates Court yesterday.
Kearney, 64, was found guilty of failing to comply with a community protection notice after the case was heard in his absence.
Fiona Townsend, prosecuting, said Kearney had initially been served with a notice on March 24, 2017 after his dogs were 'having a detrimental effect on the lives of others'.
Under the notice, he had to ensure his dogs could not escape into neighbouring properties and maintain the fencing between his house and the house next door.
But on June 6 of this year, a warden was called out and discovered Kearney's golden Cocker Spaniel and grey cross-breed in his next-door neighbour's garden.
His third dog, a yellow Labrador, was also 'poking its head through a hole in the fence'.
Ms Townsend, lawyer for Sefton Council, said she had no reason to believe any work had been done to the fence between June 6 and when the notice was given in 2017 - but said Kearney had more recently undertaken repair works.
Kearney was found guilty of breaching the community protection notice and fined £618
What can you do if your neighbour has a problem dog?
In the first instance, it is always best to try to politely speak to your neighbour and agree a way forward.
But if this isn't possible your local council and/or policing team may be able to assist with dog-related disputes and dog-related anti-social behaviour issues.
The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 gives the police various powers to try to tackle these sorts of problems at an early stage.
The stated purpose of the Act is: "To encourage responsible dog ownership and reduce other incidents involving dogs such as straying and the use of dogs for intimidation, through early engagement and education, and overall to prevent problems becoming more serious and thus reduce the number of dog bites."
