A man has been given a 12 month community order and ordered to pay out nearly £1,000 after his dog killed at least 13 sheep.
At least 13 sheep were killed and a further six injured following a dog attack in the village of Much Hadham, Hertfordshire on March 18 2018.
The dog owner, 55-year-old John Coughlan of Widford Road, Much Hadham, was charged on January 10 with two counts of dogs being dangerously out of control and two counts of being the owner of dogs worrying livestock.
He was ordered to pay out £985, as well as compensation to the livestock owners.
He was also given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) which bans him from keeping a dog for three years. If breached, he could face a custodial sentence.
Mr Coughlan was convicted of similar offences back in 2016.
Sergeant Duncan Wallace said: “We are particularly pleased to have secured the Criminal Behaviour Order as it is believed to be one of the first in the country to relate to dogs attacking sheep.
“Sheep worrying and offences involving the control of dogs have a significant financial and emotional impact on farmers and the wider rural community as a whole.
“I hope this case proves that we take all aspects of rural crime very seriously and will seek to bring perpetrators to justice.”
The case follows another man who was also found guilty on January 10 of livestock worrying crimes.
Steve Young, 43, from Otley, West Yorkshire, was ordered to pay more than £800 in compensation after his puppy attacked a flock of sheep, killing four lambs.
And last year, a man was ordered to pay over £2100 after being found guilty of worrying livestock with his out-of-control dogs.
