A DOG owner has been hit with a £1,500 fine after repeatedly refusing to clear his dog’s mess - from his own garden.

Craig Wood, 25, of Catherine Road, Benfleet appeared at Basildon Magistrates Court on Monday after choosing to ignore warnings from Castle Point Council.

The council initially contacted Mr Wood last summer after complaints from neighbours that dog mess was accumulating in a garden - causing a foul stench.

He was served an abatement notice, ordering the mess to be cleared and preventing any future dog mess accumulating.

But Mr Wood continued to breach the notice, to the point he was hauled in front of the courts and fined £1,485 for breaches.

Mr Wood lives in the Woodlands flats, on Catherine Road, and it is believed the dog was fouling in Mr Wood’s own private garden - but neighbours complained over the lingering stench.

Despite the fine, dog mess is still visible in the garden.

One nearby resident, who asked not to be named, said: “I don’t live in the block, so have not dealt with it directly, but I have been told and I think a few neighbours were getting frustrated.

“It can’t be nice to see, and we all know dog mess stinks, so you’d be very annoyed if you could constantly smell it.

“Fair play to the council for taking action against him, hopefully it is a bit of a warning to others.

A spokesman for Castle Point council said: “Castle Point Borough Council’s Environmental Health Service has successfully prosecuted a resident on five counts of breaching an abatement notice served under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

“Mr Craig Wood of Catherine Road, Benfleet appeared at Basildon Magistrates Court on 18th February 2019 and pleaded guilty to five breaches of the notice.

“Mr Wood was fined a total of £1,485 for the breaches, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £31 and full costs of £1,289.75 were awarded to the Council.

“Environmental Health was notified last summer of accumulations of dog fouling in a garden which was causing an odour nuisance to a local resident.

“Following a visit by the Service an abatement notice was served requiring the mess to be cleared and also to prevent dog fouling accumulating again. Further complaints were received and despite being given a written warning, Mr Wood continued to breach the notice.”