A vegan who did not take care of a mouse infestation at her house due to her moral beliefs has been fined by a courtroom.
Margaret Manzoni, 73, of St Osyth in Essex, “considered the mice her pets” and “said they would not go to her neighbours because she looked after them”.
Tendring District Council prosecuted the pensioner for a second time after she didn’t adjust to a earlier order made in April.
At a listening to at Colchester Magistrates’ Court this month, Manzoni was advised that whereas the courtroom “respected her beliefs as an ethical vegan, others saw mice as vermin”, the council mentioned.
The courtroom mentioned the “impact of the infestation on neighbours meant inaction was not appropriate”, in line with the authority.
Manzoni admitted on the listening to on 6 October to costs of failing to adjust to a discover underneath the Environmental Protection Act and a discover underneath the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act.
She was fined £1,500, with the courtroom awarding the council prices of £2,395 and imposing a sufferer surcharge of £150.
The courtroom heard that the council’s environmental well being workforce was known as in by neighbouring residents who had been over-run by mice, inflicting property harm, as a result of circumstances at Manzoni’s mid-terrace house, the council mentioned.
Council workers made a number of visits and supplied assist, earlier than issuing notices “ordering Manzoni to stop feeding birds, to clear the overgrown garden, and call in pest control”, the authority mentioned.
“While some building works were carried out by the council, food and shelter continued to be provided by Manzoni for the mice – leading to an overpowering smell and which forced neighbours to move out,” a spokesman for Tendring District Council mentioned.
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“Tendring District Council offered Manzoni alternative accommodation but, she considered the mice her pets, said they would not go to her neighbours because she looked after them, and refused to take action stating it went against her ‘ethical beliefs’.
“This led to the primary prosecution, since which regardless of continued common visits by the environmental well being workforce nothing has modified; leaving the council no alternative however to prosecute once more.”
Source: information.sky.com”