Dogs were 'risk to community'

5:51pm Tuesday 8th July 2008

A FRENCHMAN who flouted antirabies laws by trying to smuggle his pet dogs through Harwich port "put an entire community at risk", a court ruled.

David Guilleminot, 36, was stopped by port officials after they heard barking coming from the back of his Transit van on Sunday night.

They discovered a puppy and an older dog in a cage hidden under covers.

Guilleminot said he was part of a travelling community in Ireland. He had taken the dogs to Holland but then tried to smuggle them back into the UK despite tough antirabies laws.

Neither of the animals had "pet passports", said Richard Power, prosecuting.

The dogs were not vaccinated against rabies and should have been put into quarantine before being allowed into Britain.

Guilleminot admitted trying to smuggle the dogs through Harwich.

Richard Conley, mitigating, said he only became aware of quarantine laws as he boarded the ferry at the Hook of Holland.

"There was not the time or opportunity to go through the necessary paperwork so he foolishly took a chance that he would be able to come back into the country undetected. It didn't pay off."

The court heard the dogs could be destroyed "as a last resort" unless Guilleminot raised the cash from the travelling community to put them through quarantine.

Chelmsford magistrates said he had "deliberately" flouted the law.

"The potential harm to the whole community was very serious but you took that risk," they told him.

He was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine with £1,015 costs or serve 28 days in prison.

Editor's Choice