Teignbridge District Council has prosecuted an Ipplepen dog walker for breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).

Kim Hall was charged at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court earlier this month after pleading guilty to four charges of failing to keep dogs on leads within restricted areas whilst on a public highway or footpath without reasonable excuse for failing to do so.

Kim, who runs the dog walking business, Moor to Shore, said all the charges related to her own personal dogs and were the result of a dispute with a neighbour.

‘I live in a quiet cul de sac and the dogs were off their leads as I came out of the house but were put on a lead as I approached the main road,’ she explained. ‘My dogs are very biddable and well behaved,’ she added.

Furthermore, she noted, the initial letters from Teignbridge relating to the PSPO breaches were addressed to her late mother rather than herself.

Kim was fined £354, plus a £142 surcharge, and Teignbridge District Council were awarded £1003 in costs, making the total fine £1,499.

A PSPO allows councils to enforce and manage various anti-social activities within a specific area and are used to help tackle persistent issues that damage communities or the environment.

‘We take any reports of breaches to the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) very seriously and we are pleased we have successfully managed to prosecute on this occasion as there was a particular concern with the persistent nature of the defendant’s offending,’ said Teignbridge District Council head of neighbourhoods David Eaton. ‘The PSPO is aimed at reducing irresponsible dog ownership and making Teignbridge an even cleaner and greener place to live and work. If a violation is reported to us, we will gather evidence to charge and prosecute where possible, and appropriate.’