A MAN who claimed that his dog had bitten off his electronic tag off has been fined and ordered to pay compensation.
Stephen Smith (29), of Altcar Park in Derry, admitted a charge of criminal damage to the tag on March 17.
Derry Magistrates Court was told that on that date security firm G4S received a report of a tag being tampered with.
They went to Smith's address where they found the electronic tag had been broken. Smith told them that the dog "had pulled the tag off".
No teeth marks were found on the tag.
When interviewed Smith denied taking the tag off and insisted it was the dog.
When District Judge Barney McElholm said he could see no bite marks on the tag, defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said maybe it was an old dog to which the judge quipped: "It is certainly a shaggy one."
He fined Smith £150 and ordered him to pay £100 in compensation.
