A dog poo has ended up costing a pet owner more than £400 after he failed to pick up the dog muck and then didn’t bother paying the fine.

Stephen Ejankowski has been landed with a bill for £425 after Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard he hadn’t paid his £100 fixed penalty for failing to pick up after his dog in May last year.

The 62-year-old’s case was heard and proved in his absence after he didn’t show up at court today.

Setting out the case against Ejankowski, Andrew White, prosecuting on behalf of Redcar and Cleveland Council, told the court that the offence took place as Ejankowski walked his dog in a rear alley of West Road, Loftus, on March 26 last year.

“The dog fouled on the ground at the rear of West Road, Loftus. No attempt was made to remove the faeces,” said Mr White.

When asked by a witness why he had not picked up after his dog, Mr Ejankowski reportedly said he had forgotten his bags and would return to pick it up later.

Mr White said environmental enforcement officers from Redcar and Cleveland Council later visited Ejankowski’s West Road home on a number of occasions to question him about the incident, but had no answer at the door.

Finally, on June 30, the officers were able to speak to the defendant.

Mr White said Ejankowski told the officers he had later returned with a bag to remove the dog muck.

Nonetheless, he was offered a choice between a £100 fixed penalty notice or an appearance in court – Ejankowski took the £100 fine while saying he would appeal it.

“The fixed penalty notice remains unpaid,” said Mr White adding that he had received no communication from the defendant and no indication as to why he had not appeared in court.

Chairman of the bench, Keith Macintosh, agreed that the matter had been proved in the defendant’s absence.

He fined Ejankowski £220 and ordered that he also pay £175 in costs and a £30 surcharge – a total of £425.

A Redcar and Cleveland Council spokesman said: “All our residents deserve to live a clean and well-maintained borough and we will continue to enforce rules and laws designed to prevent littering, dog fouling and fly-tipping which may include taking people to court. Clear advice is available and our officers will continue to offer support to communities dealing with littering and dog fouling.”