A South Tyneside man landed before magistrates after breaching a court order to collect his dog

Anthony Larson, 51, of Beach Road, South Shields, went to Prendwick Avenue in Hebburn to collect Pip the pooch after receiving a call from a withheld mobile number.

He intended to tap on a window and wait around the corner for the animal to be released and find him, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.

Pip never appeared – but police did, on Sunday, April 26, and Larson was arrested for breaching bail conditions which forbid him from being in his mother’s street.

Larson pleaded guilty when he appeared in court – and was reprimanded for wasting police time over the issue of pet care.

District Judge Kathryn Meek told him: “On this occasion, I’ll give you another chance.

“I don’t know how you and your mum are going to sort this dog out but it’s not going to be sorted out by breaching your bail conditions.

“The police have more to do with their time than having to deal with who looks after a dog.”

The court heard Larson was not allowed to keep Pip at a previous address but now could after moving.

But his mum has not been willing to hand Pip over, believing her son was not adequately able to care for him.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson said: “He went around there to get his dog.

“He’s got a dog called Pip which is kept at his mum’s address because he’s not allowed to keep a dog at his address.”

Michelle Stonley, defending, said: “He received an unknown call on his mobile and someone said that it was his mum, saying could he come and collect the dog.

“He said, ‘I’ll wait around the corner, if you just release the dog’. The police arrive and he was still there. He was in breach of his bail conditions.”

Larson was on bail after previously pleading not guilty to assaulting a man in Hebburn on February 13 and faces trial at the same court on July 14.

He was bailed on condition he resides in Beach Road, does not enter Prendwick Avenue, and does not interfere with witnesses.