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cant afford fine...

  • 11-03-2011 1:30am
    #1
    pitbull_fanatic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 213 ✭✭


    hey all, keep this short and sweet. basicly i got a court fine for not having muzzles on my familly dogs. they are RB and i always have muzzles on them but one dog was sick so i left them off that day. anyway, i got a fine and 4 months later i still cant save for it as we are really struggling at the moment with job loss and gf on maternity leave. i have another 2 months to come up with the money but theres not a hope seeing as i cant even get a fiver a week saved. i'm not going to take my famillys little food money to pay the fine. so its looking at taking the week r so in prison in default. does this go on my record? will it stop me going abroad? is there anything i should be aware of before i hand myself up and get it over with? thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    Reloc8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,857 ✭✭✭Reloc8


    You can go back to District Court and apply for an extension of time to pay the fine.

    You can also take the prison stretch. If you do opt for that the likelihood of you spending a night in prison is very, very slim. Most probably you'll be booked in, left sitting somewhere for the day, and booked out. You can't be lodged until a warrant issues following your non-payment, which usually takes a few months, and your local garda station will then try and execute that against you in due course. That usually means a garda coming to the house and looking for you to pay or be lodged on the warrant. Its not unusual in cases like yours to make an arrangement to turn yourself into the station on a specified day agreed with you.

    The conviction is already on your record. Whether you pay the fine or do the time doesn't change that. Some employers/visa applications do ask the question as to whether you have every spent time in prison, and answered truthfully if you go down this road, you would have to say yes.

    There's no certainty as to how long you would do on this warrant (up to the max of the default time specified against you) but if you were lodged on it today you'd be out no later than tomorrow morning, in the absence of some fairly strange circumstances.

    Sorry to hear you're in this difficulty.


  • #3
    time lord
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 606 ✭✭✭time lord


    With no fixed penalty available as an option for an "enforcement officer" on this offence their only only option available is a summons for not having the dog muzzled.

    If this was a first time encounter with this particular enforcement officer it does seem harsh that it was a summons straight away. They didnt let you off with a warning or have a follow-on meeting by arrangement to your house to see if you had pocession of one and check for a licence at the same time etc.
    I'd say based on your outline of events there is more to the enforcement officers side to the story than you and I may know about.. Their past experiences with the same offence may of shaped how they deal with it. A straight summons on the face of it for this offence is a sign of past experiences for the enforcement officer in my opinion anyway.


  • #4
    pitbull_fanatic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 213 ✭✭pitbull_fanatic


    thanks relocate for your advice. it was very helpfull. so there is no way i can just go to the fines officer and tell him i cant pay and chose to do the few days?

    @ timelord, this was my first time getting caught without a muzzle. no previous encounters. that was also my very first time seeing this particular gaurd. he was new to the parish he said and wanted to make an example. my dogs are better trained than most if not all the dogs i kow. he told me he was giving me a caution. then 6 months later a 2 summons was brought to my door by a different lad. one for each dog. i went up to the station to talk to the gaurd and he was on the beat. i was told to call back before he went off duty. so i went up an hour earl and waited. at his finishing time another gaurd rang him again to see where he was and he was after slipping off home. he did this twice. third time i called up he was in the office so couldnt avoid me. he told me to **** off and closed the window on my face. he then went on the phone and rang 3 numbers. 3rd person answered and as soon as there was an answer he just started roaring at me threatening to arrest me. during all this i was just standing there patiently waiting for him to talk to me. he then pushed me out the door. this same gaurd was seen and still is seen walking past people with alsations rotties staffs pitbulls with no muzzles and nothing said to them. i even cought him out the corner of my eye staring me out of it menacingly out of his c ar window. i didnt even recognise him until he got out and he was in uniform. then i realised who he was and he walked past me staring at me. that was only a few weeks ago. the only time i leave my house is to go shoppin walk the dogs walk the baby or walk the dogs with the baby. sorry for long post, just tried to give a clearer picture. never got a warning.


  • #5
    MagicSean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    I presume your dogs are pitbulls. They are widely considered to be the most dangerous dogs in existence. This means that you will always cone under scrutiny. It's likely your neighbours have made many complaints about these dogs too. That is just the hassle that comes with owning a dangerous dog. Your story about why you had no muzzle on either dog is flimsy at best. I doubt it's the first time they have been out without a muzzle. If this is the case you have probably been seen by someone who complained or by this particular Garda. So keep that in mind.

    When you go to court keep the following in mind. A guilty plea will work in your favour as will showing remorse and understanding of your crime. Showing you have addressed the problem will also help. When you are given a penalty you can ask the judge to extend the period over which you have to pay.

    As for the Garda in question. If this is really how he behaved you should complain to his superior. Behaviour like this gives all gardai a bad name.


  • #6
    ted1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,658 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    have you sky tv you could cancel? Do you drive? Start walking or get the public transport. The fuel savings will pay the fine.


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  • #7
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    K_mac is right in fact here in Victoria the Pitbull is banned as of 2005. It is illegal to own one (register) after that date. The idea is they will die out in Victoria. If your dog for example had/sired pups you would break the law. Dont say it wont happen in Ireland. Victoria was the first place in the world to make seat belts mandatory.

    If you google the statistics* on the ratio of pitbull dogs in the community versus the damage they cause, it is unacceptable. Sadly this is mostly not the fault of the dog its the quality of owner it can attract. I am not saying you are one of those owners but you know they are out there.

    http://www.dogsbite.org/bite-study-deaths-maimings.htm

    Whatever fine you are paying I am sure it is chicken feed compared to the loss of work/wages, personnal injury and subsequent trauma an attack can cause.


  • #8
    ted1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,658 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    to be honest there not a bred of dogs you want around babies. They by be the best trained dogs. But you can't change their animal instinct


  • #9
    pitbull_fanatic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 213 ✭✭pitbull_fanatic


    ok hang on a second. i asked for advice not to be judged. kmac if you read the post i'v already been to court. it has been the first time out without. obv not including when they are puppies. my neighbours never reported my dogs as they all love my dogs. every body that comes in contact do. ye are all steriotypical. if ye cant give me advice on the matter at hand dont comment. how dare ye comment on my dogs and situation and accuse me of being "flimsy". great bunch the lot of ye.

    LOCK THIS UNHELPFULL THREAD PLEASE. i'll go elsewhere for advice. out of 5 or 6 of ye 1 person answered my post without passing judgement. ye listen to media. well get to know a pitbull and ye will understand. cars and guns kill people too. but not on there own. its human is the killer. add humans and u will get death. pitbulls are one of the best breeds i'v ever come across. you know what i dont need to explain myself or defend myself or even have to put up with this.

    LOCK IT UP MODS PLEASE.


  • #10
    MagicSean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    pitbull_fanatic wrote: »
    ok hang on a second. i asked for advice not to be judged. kmac if you read the post i'v already been to court. it has been the first time out without. obv not including when they are puppies. my neighbours never reported my dogs as they all love my dogs. every body that comes in contact do. ye are all steriotypical. if ye cant give me advice on the matter at hand dont comment. how dare ye comment on my dogs and situation and accuse me of being "flimsy". great bunch the lot of ye.

    LOCK THIS UNHELPFULL THREAD PLEASE. i'll go elsewhere for advice. out of 5 or 6 of ye 1 person answered my post without passing judgement. ye listen to media. well get to know a pitbull and ye will understand. cars and guns kill people too. but not on there own. its human is the killer. add humans and u will get death. pitbulls are one of the best breeds i'v ever come across. you know what i dont need to explain myself or defend myself or even have to put up with this.

    First of all I didn't judge you. I was stating a fact. It is considered to be the most dangerous dog. You might think all your neighbours love your dogs but you don't know that for sure. I'd be fairly certain at least one person has a problem with them, wether they tell you or not. I have a dangerous dog myself and have been targeted by some neighbours because of this. People just looking for an excuse to have it put down for no reason other than their fears. This has meant that I have had to be very responsable with them.

    I misunderstood your thread. I thought you were waiting to go to court and gave you some general advice on that topic. And it was your excuse I called flimsy not you.

    There is no need to loose your temper. If your fuse is really that short maybe you should consider wether you should have a pitbull at all because dogs tend to react to their masters moods. I'm sure you're aware of that though.


  • #11
    pitbull_fanatic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 213 ✭✭pitbull_fanatic


    i didnt lose my temper at all. i'm perfectly calm. i came here looking for helpfull advice about my situation and this is what i get given. not 1 bit helpfull. yes everybody loves them. they are "considered" dangerous by media and people who dont have a clue but who think they know. dont judge me or my dogs until you meet one of us face to face. there is not one bit of agression in my dogs. not a bad bone in their bodies. they have been attacked loads before and wouldnt even retaliate. they are not fighters. so whatever you think you know about them, keep it to yourself because your making a fool of yourself trying to convince me my dogs are dangerous.


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  • #12
    pitbull_fanatic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 213 ✭✭pitbull_fanatic


    and it wasnt an excuse, its exactly how it al happened.


  • #13
    MagicSean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    pitbull_fanatic wrote: »
    i didnt lose my temper at all. i'm perfectly calm. i came here looking for helpfull advice about my situation and this is what i get given. not 1 bit helpfull. yes everybody loves them. they are "considered" dangerous by media and people who dont have a clue but who think they know. dont judge me or my dogs until you meet one of us face to face. there is not one bit of agression in my dogs. not a bad bone in their bodies. they have been attacked loads before and wouldnt even retaliate. they are not fighters. so whatever you think you know about them, keep it to yourself because your making a fool of yourself trying to convince me my dogs are dangerous.

    I never said they were. But they are considered a dangerous dog under the law.


  • #14
    pitbull_fanatic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 213 ✭✭pitbull_fanatic


    they are on the restricted breeds list...thats why i wear muzzles on them?? can you just stop posting please because your not helping. i didnt come here for an arguement i came here for advice which you clearly cannot give.


  • #15
    MagicSean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    pitbull_fanatic wrote: »
    they are on the restricted breeds list...thats why i wear muzzles on them?? can you just stop posting please because your not helping. i didnt come here for an arguement i came here for advice which you clearly cannot give.

    Now you're just being pedantic. A breed isn't put on the list because of its friendly nature but because of the breeds physical capabilities which make it dangerous.

    As for advice, contact the warrant Garda at your local station and talk to him. He can tell you if he has received a penal warrant in your name and can execute it by bringing you to prison.


  • #16
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    How much is this fine ??

    Can you like ebay some stuff to pay it?

    Don't elect to go to prison you never know you could end up in prison for the full term stranger things have happened.


  • #17
    Beaucoupfish
    Registered Users Posts: 173 ✭✭Beaucoupfish


    What type of pitbull is it?


  • #18
    Reloc8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,857 ✭✭✭Reloc8


    For F's sake who cares.

    The guy wants to know what his options are in respect of paying or non-paying the fine levied on him, and what the consequences of his choice would be.

    'better find out why he was fined/what kind of dog it was/how much he was fined/whether he knows that he got off dam lightly with a fine/whether he knows he should have gotten a bigger fine/whether everyone knows I think that'

    ...


  • #19
    MagicSean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    Reloc8 wrote: »
    For F's sake who cares.

    The guy wants to know what his options are in respect of paying or non-paying the fine levied on him, and what the consequences of his choice would be.

    'better find out why he was fined/what kind of dog it was/how much he was fined/whether he knows that he got off dam lightly with a fine/whether he knows he should have gotten a bigger fine/whether everyone knows I think that'

    ...

    Who cares what he wants? This is a discussion board not his solicitors office. If all he wanted was to know how to pay a court fine he needn't have put all the stuff about his dogs in the OP.


  • #20
    Lapin
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,184 ✭✭✭✭Lapin


    pitbull_fanatic wrote: »
    ......third time i called up he was in the office so couldnt avoid me. he told me to **** off and closed the window on my face. he then went on the phone and rang 3 numbers. 3rd person answered and as soon as there was an answer he just started roaring at me threatening to arrest me......
    k_mac wrote: »
    As for the Garda in question. If this is really how he behaved you should complain to his superior. Behaviour like this gives all gardai a bad name.

    And then contact this lot ASAP.

    www.gardaombudsman.ie/index.htm


  • #21
    seamus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    k_mac wrote: »
    That is just the hassle that comes with owning a dangerous dog.
    Just FYI, "dangerous dog" is a specific legal term. A dog on the restricted breeds list is not a dangerous dog legally (ignoring the public/media ignorance issue).

    A dog can only be deemed "dangerous" by a judge.


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  • #22
    pitbull_fanatic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 213 ✭✭pitbull_fanatic


    k_mac wrote: »
    Who cares what he wants? This is a discussion board not his solicitors office. If all he wanted was to know how to pay a court fine he needn't have put all the stuff about his dogs in the OP.

    what do you mean all the stuff about my dogs in OP??? i didnt mention them for a reason. because it doesnt matter what they are. this is all i said...
    pitbull_fanatic wrote: »
    hey all, keep this short and sweet. basicly i got a court fine for not having muzzles on my familly dogs. they are RB and i always have muzzles on them but one dog was sick so i left them off that day..

    and i didnt want to know about how to pay a fine. can u please wake up and read the posts properly instead of making up your own little stories?? this is what i asked for...
    pitbull_fanatic wrote: »
    so its looking at taking the week r so in prison in default. does this go on my record? will it stop me going abroad? is there anything i should be aware of before i hand myself up and get it over with? thanks
    Lapin wrote: »
    And then contact this lot ASAP.

    www.gardaombudsman.ie/index.htm
    i think its a bit late now. it was in april i got pulled. in september i got the sunmmons and in november i got the court fine.


    and for all ye people wonderig if i got crucified in court, yes. i got a nice big fine. first offence as a responsible owner who picks up their ****e if they do it. how many of ye would do it.

    and to the people who have been nice enough to answer my post and pm'ing me advice, thank you very much. much appretiated.


  • #23
    MagicSean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    pitbull_fanatic wrote: »
    what do you mean all the stuff about my dogs in OP??? i didnt mention them for a reason. because it doesnt matter what they are. this is all i said...


    and i didnt want to know about how to pay a fine. can u please wake up and read the posts properly instead of making up your own little stories?? this is what i asked for...



    i think its a bit late now. it was in april i got pulled. in september i got the sunmmons and in november i got the court fine.


    and for all ye people wonderig if i got crucified in court, yes. i got a nice big fine. first offence as a responsible owner who picks up their ****e if they do it. how many of ye would do it.

    and to the people who have been nice enough to answer my post and pm'ing me advice, thank you very much. much appretiated.

    Like i said, contact the local garda station and ask for the warrants officer. He will be the one who receives your penal warrant and lodges you in prison.


This discussion has been closed.
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