Bassetlaw man made neighbours’ lives a nightmare with stench of excrement as his dogs ran wild

Adrian Collins was given a three-year criminal behaviour order in January 2022 because his dogs have caused problems for the last six years, said prosecutor Katherine Wilson.

The 75-year-old's neighbours have complained about dogs continuously escaping from his property, leaving faeces and chewing items, and preventing then from enjoying their gardens because of fears for their children's safety.

The court heard about an "overbearing smell of excrement,” the number of flies, and “an overwhelming smell of bleach as the owners tried to clean up," as well as the "noise of dogs barking and fighting at all times of the day."

They spoke of the "fear, nuisance and inconvenience" and the "incredible frustration" they felt.

At one point they suspected there were as many as 30 or 40 dogs on the property.

A "large and powerful" Belgian Malinois bared its teeth and aggressively charged a neighbour in September last, leaving him "in a state of shock", Ms Wilson added.

When Collins was interviewed by police he couldn't remember how or why the dogs escaped but acknowledged they were his responsibility.

The court heard he has previous convictions for owning uncontrolled dogs in 2017, and breaching court orders in 2022 and 2023.

Sulma Mansuri, mitigating, conceded it would be "appalling to live next door to Mr Collins".

He has bred dogs all his life but in recent years his situation "deteriorated rapidly" and he is now unable to keep them all under control”.

She said recent repairs to his fences have improved the situation and, from this weekend, 12 dogs will be re-homed, leaving him with four.

She described the offences as “careless and irritating”, but not criminal acts, and added: “This is a man whose life has gotten away from him.”

Collins, of Neatholm Lane, Lound, Retford, admitted five breaches of the criminal behaviour order when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on December 12, last year.

On Thursday he received a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with ten rehabilitation days. A new criminal behaviour order with conditions relating to his dogs was imposed. He was ordered to pay a £154 surcharge with £170 costs.