Pet owner in court

Charles Napper of Watermill Lane was fined 750 for the first offence which took place on November 22 last year and 500 for the second on December 4 2007.

He was also told by Hastings Magistrates to pay 500 costs as well as 15 victim surcharge. Mr Napper owned two German Shorthaired Pointers which have been rehomed.

The livestock in question were sheep belonging to Gillian Stone and Robert Shiffreen of Cooden Drive who were in court to hear Mr Napper plead guilty. The flock had been kept on a small-holding off Potmans Lane.

Afterwards Miss Stone commented: "Obviously we are relieved he finally has a conviction for these offences. However I was disgusted by the fact that even in court he still denied his dogs were responsible for the deaths of my pet sheep. Because of his last minute guilty plea none of the overwhelming witness evidence got to be heard. We had witnesses travel from hundreds of miles, from Southampton and the Outer Hebrides, only to be told they were not needed...

"Also it is frustrating that I was unable to claim compensation in the Magistrates Court and I must now apply to the County Court to claim damages for the loss of the sheep, cremation fees, the vet's bills we incurred and moving costs. We also lost a whole season's lambs as we were unable to bring a ram into the flock last November. I have no idea where Mr Napper's two dogs have ended up and am quite worried that anyone who has rehomed them has no idea of their history."