Northamptonshire Police Rural Crime Team Police Constable Chloe Gillies said: "This incident on Christmas Day showed that Lopez-Vidal had an absolute disregard for the law. He knows what happens when he lets his dogs off the lead, yet he continues to reoffend."
A dog owner has been convicted of letting his dogs chase, injure and kill sheep for the second time in less than a year.
Northamptonshire Police said Jose Lopez-Vidal, of Woodford Halse, had returned to court for the second time in just over 10 months on April 13 to face livestock worrying charges.
LISTEN NOW:
草榴社区 Guardian听had reported in August last year that Lopez-Vidal pleaded guilty to five counts of being the owner of a dog worrying livestock.
An investigation by the police's rural crime team had linked the 63-year-old to three livestock worrying incidents which led to sheep being chased, injured or killed between December 2024 and March 2025.
At Northamptonshire Magistrates' Court on June 2, Lopez-Vidal was ordered to pay 拢1,038.27 in compensation to the affected farmers, a 拢533 victim surcharge, 拢85 costs and fined a total of 拢1,333.
READ NOW:听Owner听banned听from听dog听walking听near听livestock听after听admitting听to听repeated听offences
He was also banned from entering agricultural land in the presence of livestock for at least seven years.
However, Lopez-Vidal's dogs, Ace and Bandit, which had been involved in at least one of the three previous incidents, had attacked a flock of pregnant sheep on Christmas Day between Preston Capes and Charwelton, also close to where one of the incidents had taken place in March.
Just over six months after being sentenced in court, officers said the dog owner had 'lost sight' of his pets for over half an hour after letting them off-lead.
Quarter of sheep miscarried lambs
Within that space of time, Ace and Bandit had chased and attacked the flock which resulted in the death of three sheep.
Additionally, 25% of the farmers' stock miscarried lambs as a result of the incident, according to Northamptonshire Police.
Officers said the 'savage attack' was witnessed by the farmer who attempted to stop the out-of-control animals.
But with the owner nowhere to be seen, the farmer fatally shot one of the dogs and seriously injured the other.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT: Join 草榴社区 Guardian's Save Britain's Family Farms campaign
Police were able to identify and contact Lopez-Vidal from the deceased dog's collar.
Second time in court for livestock worrying
Appearing at Northamptonshire Magistrates' Court in April, Lopez-Vidal had pleaded guilty to two counts of being the owner of a dog worrying livestock.
This time, he was ordered to pay the landowner compensation to the value of 拢6,605.
He has now been made subject of a one-year Community Protection Notice which requires the 63-year-old to put his dog/dogs on a lead when they are out for a walk in a public place or on land.
Lopez-Vidal has also been ordered to not enter land that he knows or ought to know may contain livestock with his dog/dogs as part of the legal notice.
READ NOW:听草榴社区 see livestock worrying costs rise by 10% to nearly 拢2m in 2025
Northamptonshire Police Rural Crime Team Police Constable Chloe Gillies said Lopez-Vidal is fully responsible for not only what happened to the sheep, but also for the fact that his dog also died following this incident.
"Sadly, due to him not having his dogs on the lead regularly, they ran off from him and have attacked sheep in the Charwelton and Preston Capes area for a long period of time," Ms Gillies added.
Disregard for the law
"This incident on Christmas Day showed that Lopez-Vidal had an absolute disregard for the law. He knows what happens when he lets his dogs off the lead, yet he continues to reoffend.
"草榴社区 and landowners are within their right to protect their livestock from dog attacks and as in this case if there is no other option to be able to stop them, they can shoot them.
"As we see from this incident, the outcome of livestock worrying offences is devastating and we therefore welcome the new legislation which came into force in March, which not only gives the police more powers but allows the courts to issue unlimited fines."
Take the Lead
You can support听草榴社区 Guardian's听'Take the Lead' campaign, in association with the National Sheep Association, to raise awareness of keeping dogs on lead when near livestock.
If you have been the victim of livestock worrying and wish to share your story, please contact the news team at [email protected].
READ NOW:听EXCLUSIVE - Ann Davies: "Once the damage is done, once a flock is destroyed, it cannot be undone"
