Friday 4 March 2016

Look, A Ban Just Isn’t Working…

The owner of a dangerous dog that killed his 18-month-old niece has flouted an order banning him from keeping the pets for a third time.
Yes indeed. Of course we know this one, don’t we, reader?
The 38-year-old spray painter was caught breaching the court order, which lasts until 2023, during a routine security check in a road around the perimeter of Gatwick Airport. He was with his partner, 49-year-old Linda Hood of Davis Close, Crawley. Six dogs were seized at the time.
Why is he not subject to regular checks by the police? He’s flouted the ban repeatedly, so why is it left to chance stops around airports?

Surely it’s in the interests of the local force to drive past his house once in a while and see if they can hear barking?
Ahmed's dog ban was increased from five to ten years during his last appearance at court in November 2013.
Didn’t work, did it? So this time, the magistrates didn’t bother wasting their breath:
When he appeared at Horsham Magistrates' Court last Thursday, he was handed a fine but escaped a lifetime ban despite magistrates previously warning this would happen if he returned to court.
I can (sort of) see their point, it’s clearly an exercise in futility. But it does increase the punishment, even if only on paper, and they are usually pretty hot on deliberate flouting of the law, so why the pussyfooting around on this?
Ms Hood appeared at the same hearing, charged with aiding and abetting the breach of a disqualification imposed after Ahmed's conviction. However, at court her prosecution was discontinued and the six dogs were returned to her.
/facepalm

What’s the point of these bans if they can be got round by simply ensuring that your dim-witted girlfriend holds the leash?

3 comments:

Lynne at Counting Cats said...

Perhaps the ban should cover any animal kept on the premises, dim witted girlfriend or not.

Automatic jail sentences for failing to comply.

FrankC said...

"any animal kept on the premises including dim witted girlfriend".

Fixed it for you.

JuliaM said...

"Fixed it for you."

:D