A PONTRHYDYGROES man’s pet dog killed a pregnant sheep on a neighbouring farm, magistrates have heard.

Steven Lewis Ronald Blyth, of Waun Wen, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog worrying livestock at Ddôl Hafod in Pontrhyd­ygroes on 4 February.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said a farmer who lives near Blyth, 66, saw Blyth’s dog attack one of his sheep at around 12.30pm.

She said that the farmer had recognised the dog as there had been a previous problem, but on this occasion watched as the dog attacked a pregnant sheep, hanging onto the back of it.

The attack left the pregnant sheep with deep cuts to its back and leg and what the farmer said was “a hole” on its back.

He shouted asking the owner to get the dog on a lead, but realised there was nobody in the vicinity.

Ms Tench said the injuries led to the sheep’s death as well as the lamb that it was carrying.

She said that Blyth had previously paid the farmer following the death of another sheep and that there had been an agreement between the two that Blyth would keep the dog under control.

In an interview with police, Blyth said that he had been walking his two dogs, but while navigating a stile, one of the dogs ran off.

He said he had decided to take the other dog home first and then come back for the dog that had run off, but when he returned, the dog had come back by herself.

Blyth said the dog had been acting normally, but admitted that he thought it probably was his dog that attacked the sheep as it had come from the direction of the farm.

Blyth, who represented himself, said the dog had since been rehomed and he accepted that he would have to pay compensation for the sheep that died.

But he said that, despite having paid the farmer on a previous occasion, there was no evidence to suggest it was his dog that had attacked a sheep on that occasion and that he had paid the farmer as his dog had been “in the area”.

Blyth was fined £295 and will pay compensation of £200.

He was also ordered to pay costs totalling £115.