A 75-year-old Forest sheep badger disqualified last year from keeping dogs for life has been jailed for flouting the ban within months of it being imposed.

Jeremy Awdry of Lydney Road, Bream, was brought before Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court charged with breaching the order.

He was sentenced to 25 weeks’ imprisonment after he admitted breaches of the dog ban.

The court was told he had transferred the ownership of two collies to his wife and “did not fully understand the rules surrounding the disqualification order,” the court heard.

Sara Anthony, prosecuting for Forest of Dean District Council, told the magistrates that a year ago Awdry has been disqualified for life from owning, keeping, transporting or being in any way involved with dogs.

The ban was imposed in February 2021 at Gloucester Crown Court after Awdry and two other defendants were convicted for selling puppies without a licence and failing to meet the needs of the animals.

The puppies were kept in squalid conditions and were poorly looked after at Awdry’s home.

Awdry and his two accomplices were estimated to have made £90,000 from puppy farming over four years.

Ms Anthony told the court: “Shortly after this order was made in February last year the Forest of Dean District Council received information that Awdry was still using dogs for work and had been seen transporting his dogs about.

“On April 27, 2021 at 8.47am two members of the council’s street warden team were in the Bream area and were travelling along Oakwood Road when they spotted Awdry in a white Nissan vehicle beside a five bar gate.

“They both had a clear view of a black and white Collie sitting on the front passenger seat.

“They watched Awdry turn the vehicle around and drive to the other side of the field and park alongside an out-building.

“They both saw Awdry unload two Collie dogs from the vehicle and usher them towards the out-building.

“Awdry was then observed returning to his vehicle without the dogs.

“Awdry drove down Highfield Close and disappeared from the area.

“The street wardens checked the out-building and observed that the two dogs were inside.

“While the wardens were making notes of what they had just witnessed Awdry returned in his van accompanied by his wife. He parked beside the outbuilding and opened the door while Mrs Awdry encouraged the dogs into the vehicle from the passenger side.

“Awdry returned to the vehicle and drove off.

“On the second occasion the district council was contacted by PC Katherine McDay who was driving in a marked vehicle from Coleford to Bream on May 15 last year at around 6pm when she noticed Awdry’s Nissan van on the B4231 near the area of Bream Cross.

“She noticed a large amount of sheep coming from a field opposite.

“Pc McDay travelled past the Nissan and turned around. While she travelled back towards the van she noticed that Awdry was driving and his wife was in the passenger seat with a black Collie dog on her lap.

“As Pc McDay passed she noticed that the dog was released out of the passenger door and it began herding sheep along the road.

“A short while later she noticed Awdry drive away from the area and saw that the sheep were no longer visible.

“The dog had its head out of the passenger window.”

Clive Rees, defending, said: “I feel that Awdry did not fully understand the rules surrounding the disqualification order.

“He was under the impression that if he had somebody with him who was responsible for the dogs he would be complying with the terms of the order.

“Awdry had already transferred ownership of the dogs to his wife.

“He has kept dogs all his life and, being a commoner, he has the right to roam sheep on the common.

“He frequently gets calls from police to remove them from the road, even if they are not his own sheep.

“When the order was initially issued, Awdry would get his wife to drive his van with the dogs.

“However over the past few months Mrs Awdry’s health has deteriorated and she has recently lost much of her eyesight and most of her hearing.

“Mr Awdry has become her carer.

“Awdry started the order with good intentions.

“His son has now taken over the responsibility for the dogs.

“Whoever saw the dogs, there was no mention of them being concerned about the animals’ welfare.

“In the future, Awdry will have to come to terms about not looking after sheep in future.

“He realises now that he is in a serious position.

“He should have known the position when he was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court.”

Awdry pleading guilty to breaching a disqualification order imposed after conviction on two occasions the first that on or about April 27, 2021 at Lydney having been previously disqualified from keeping dogs did transport two black and white collie dogs inside a white Nissan white van.

The second count was that on May 15, 2021 he transported a black and white collie dog inside the same van whilst directing 30 sheep to exit a field and move along the B4231 Rd heading towards Bream.

Presiding Justice Major Paul Adey sentenced Awdry to six weeks imprisonment for the two offences of transporting dogs and activated the 19 week suspended sentence consecutively.

“We note that the dogs are no longer in yours and Mrs Awdry’s ownership, a move which should have been undertaken 12 months ago,” said the magistrate.

“We also acknowledge that the dogs have not been mistreated whilst they have been in your care.”

Outstanding court costs of £6,494 and the £4,140 costs of the magistrates’ court case must be paid by April 30.