Bayside Council takes Judith Murphy to court over lapdog Clarrie’s off-lead antics
A Bayside woman who set tongues wagging after her pooch was papped in his driveway without a lead, has faced court over fresh offences by her “sweet little lapdog”.
South East
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The off-lead antics of a Bayside Maltese Shitzu have landed his elderly owner in the doghouse – again.
Judith Murphy on Friday faced Moorabbin Magistrates Court after her dog Clarrie, 5, was twice busted off-lead outside her Sandringham property in April.
The court heard eagle-eyed neighbours alerted Bayside Council on April 21 when they spotted the little white dog “wandering around” the nature strip and footpath near his home.
Three days later, on April 24, a witness spotted Clarence “unaccompanied” in the common area of the units where Ms Murphy lives.
Ms Murphy, who attended court with her lawyer, plead guilty to both offences.
Her solicitor told the court Clarrie had “garnered some media attention” in 2023 for a similar offence.
Ms Murphy spoke to the Herald Sun after being slapped with a $288 fine when a neighbour papped Clarrie standing in his communal driveway without a lead.
At the time she was stunned to receive a fine for an offence she didn’t know existed.
On Friday, her lawyer told the court his client was “very aware of it now”.
Magistrate Robert Stary said while it was “accepted without question the dog was not regarded as dangerous … there was a prohibition in allowing any dog to wander at large”.
He said Ms Murphy was entitled to draw on her credit from a “whole life of good character”.
Her decision to go to the “expense and inconvenience” of being represented by a lawyer in court showed she was taking the matter seriously, Mr Stary said.
Ms Murphy was given a three month bond requiring her to be of good behaviour and no conviction was recorded.