An angry plasterer who said he would rub a dog-owner’s nose in the animal’s urine has been fined and given a stern warning by a judge.
Patrick Aaron McCann (37) lost his rag after the injured party’s pooch persistently peed in a flower box outside his house.
McCann, who runs his own plastering firm, pleaded guilty to one count of improper use of communications and was sentenced at Newtownards Magistrates Court last month.
The court heard the victim made a report to police about a message they had received from McCann on Facebook from an account using the name ‘Paddy Mac’.
The message said: “See you letting your dog piss in our flower box, I can clearly see you on camera, next time I’m going to come down and rub your face in it you wee scumbag.”
When he was interviewed by police he admitted sending the message and “did not see anything wrong with it”, the court was told.
Prosecutors said McCann, of Fort Avenue, Bangor, Co Down, has a relevant record after he was previously convicted of sending a “menacing email” in a different matter.
Patrick Aaron McCann
His solicitor told the court the offence arose due to an “ongoing dispute” about dog fouling and relations between the parties had since “calmed down significantly”.
They added: “It’s a text message that would not have come before the court in the past but these sorts of cases are becoming more and more common.
“It isn’t the most threatening message and he has significant mental health issues.”
District Judge Mark Hamill said the defendant “must understand the concept of the offence” given he has a record for a similar offence.
He fined him £300 and bound him over to keep the peace in the sum of £750.
The judge added: “You’re not getting probation for this, so here it is, you are not to do the like of this for the next two years.
“Let that be at the back of your mind because if you do, you will lose 750 quid. You have two instances of this kind on your record, you will not get a third.”