A man has been banned from owning dogs for two years and was ordered to pay a farmer over £1,000 after a livestock worrying incident in Buckinghamshire.
Thames Valley Police Aylesbury Vale said Alex Milenkovic (30) had been sentenced at Oxford Magistrates' Court on April 22 following a 'dangerous' rural crime incident in the village of Quainton.
Three dogs had escaped from Milenkovic's home and had entered private farmland on February 19, according to rural crime officers.
Police said the dogs had worried livestock before Milenkovic regained control.
Farmer shoots dog following livestock worrying incident with a 'number of' lambs killed
He was arrested by Thames Valley Police on February 22 and was formally charged the following day.
At Oxford Magistrates' Court, Milenkovic pleaded guilty to one count each of being the owner of a dog worrying livestock and being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.
Milenkovic was disqualified from owning a dog for two years and received an order to pay costs of £4,700 - including £1,200 to the farmer in compensation.
Investigating officer of the incident, police constable Ryan Dollery of the Thames Valley Police's Rural Crime Taskforce, said: "I am really pleased with this court result, disqualifying Milenkovic from owning dogs for two years.
"Thames Valley Police takes any report of dogs dangerously out of control and worrying livestock seriously.
"We will seek to take offenders to court, where necessary."
You can support Farmers Guardian's Take the Lead campaign, in association with the National Sheep Association, to raise awareness of keeping dogs on lead when near livestock.
We can provide you with free signs to place around your farm warning dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead near livestock.
To request yours, send a stamped self-addressed A4 envelope to: FG Take the Lead, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ.
We will be able to send up to 25 signs.
Alternatively, you can contact reporter Chris Brayford if you have been a victim of a livestock worrying incident and if you wish to share your story at [email protected]
