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| GAA star fined for dangerous dog | GAA star fined for dangerous dog |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Tyrone GAA football star has been fined £650 after pleading guilty to possession of a dangerous dog at Dungannon Magistrates Court. | A Tyrone GAA football star has been fined £650 after pleading guilty to possession of a dangerous dog at Dungannon Magistrates Court. |
| Gerard Cavlan, 30, of Willow Gardens, Dungannon, was also banned for five years from owning a terrier-type dog and ordered to pay costs of £4,300. | Gerard Cavlan, 30, of Willow Gardens, Dungannon, was also banned for five years from owning a terrier-type dog and ordered to pay costs of £4,300. |
| USPCA officials seized the animal, which had a number of scars, after they spotted it with the footballer. | USPCA officials seized the animal, which had a number of scars, after they spotted it with the footballer. |
| Magistrate Eamon King urged Cavlan to remember his position as a role model. | Magistrate Eamon King urged Cavlan to remember his position as a role model. |
| "You have to be aware that people do look up to you and people do tend to emulate you and want to emulate you," he said. | "You have to be aware that people do look up to you and people do tend to emulate you and want to emulate you," he said. |
| "We want people to imitate you in all that's good - i.e. your successful footballing career - not in the type of activity that takes place in back yards in the dark of night involving one animal going face-to-face against another." | |
| It is illegal to own pit bull terriers in Northern Ireland | It is illegal to own pit bull terriers in Northern Ireland |
| Cavlan admitted five offences involving possession of a pit bull, taking it out in public without a muzzle and having no licence for three other Staffordshire terriers. | Cavlan admitted five offences involving possession of a pit bull, taking it out in public without a muzzle and having no licence for three other Staffordshire terriers. |
| The magistrate ordered the pit bull to be destroyed. | The magistrate ordered the pit bull to be destroyed. |
| His lawyer, Michael Duffy, told the court Cavlan was not the pit bull's owner, but had only collected it from kennels for a Dublin man, who attended the court hearing. | His lawyer, Michael Duffy, told the court Cavlan was not the pit bull's owner, but had only collected it from kennels for a Dublin man, who attended the court hearing. |
| The plan was to deliver the dog but before that Cavlan had taken it for a two-minute walk to stretch its legs, the barrister said. | The plan was to deliver the dog but before that Cavlan had taken it for a two-minute walk to stretch its legs, the barrister said. |
| "Mr Cavlan has no involvement in relation to any other activities that would be illegal. | "Mr Cavlan has no involvement in relation to any other activities that would be illegal. |
| "This favour which he did for another person has landed him in a very unfortunate and very sorry situation. | |
| "He was doing somebody a good turn and he's paying a very heavy price for it," he said. | "He was doing somebody a good turn and he's paying a very heavy price for it," he said. |
| Mr King told Cavlan that if he had had a record and not entered a plea of guilty he would have jailed him if convicted of the offence. | Mr King told Cavlan that if he had had a record and not entered a plea of guilty he would have jailed him if convicted of the offence. |
| "The message has to go out - in this day and age there is no place in this society for animals of this nature," the magistrate said. | "The message has to go out - in this day and age there is no place in this society for animals of this nature," the magistrate said. |
| "They are certainly not pets. They get off the leash, one or two dogs, and if they get a child, God knows (what could happen)." | "They are certainly not pets. They get off the leash, one or two dogs, and if they get a child, God knows (what could happen)." |
| A senior official from the local authority, which prosecuted the case, warned they would hunt out those who keep pit bulls. | A senior official from the local authority, which prosecuted the case, warned they would hunt out those who keep pit bulls. |
| Alan Burke, director of environmental health with Dungannon and South Tyrone Council, said: "If you keep pit bulls in this area, we will follow you and we will put you before the court." |