Max Edward Bolger blames dogs for failure to attend Proserpine Magistrates Court to face fraud and drugs charges

Forget ‘the dog ate my homework’. Of all the creative excuses for skipping your court date, a Whitsunday magistrate hadn’t heard this one before.

A man claimed dogs ate his shoes the night before he was due to appear at court. Picture: File

A man accused of multiple fraud and drugs offences has blamed his failure to show up at court on his dogs’ taste for fancy footwear.

Max Edward Bolger wrote a letter to Proserpine Magistrates Court explaining he could not attend on Monday, August 9 to face charges including possessing dangerous drugs and receiving tainted property because, among other reasons, his dogs had ruined his outfit.

“I’ve been unwell, have no transport, no funds, and my dogs have eaten my court shoes overnight”, the letter stated.

Reading the letter aloud for the record, Magistrate James Morton paused part way through to tell the court he had “used that once as an excuse for an assignment at school”.

He forfeited Bolger’s bail and issued a warrant to lie on file until September 6, when Bolger has other matters before the court.