The comhairle has lost a court case because of a mistake in a legal notice.
The local authority had imposed a dog control order on Jim Bruce of Millar Road, Stornoway, claiming his Dalmatian badly attacked a collie.
Mr Bruce denied his dog was in the wrong, saying the collie bit his pet.
But the council got the location wrong and its defence case collapsed during a court hearing.
The council was instructed to pay expenses -
Afterwards, he accused the comhairle of acting as “judge jury and executioner.”
The row followed a complaint from a neighbour who maintained her collie, called Clyde, was bitten by Mr Bruce’s pet, which is named Askem.
Mr Bruce appealed the legal order in Stornoway Sheriff Court.
Western Isles Council claims the woman was walking the collie -
They allege Clyde was bitten and left with teeth marks on his back after Askem ran out of his garden and attacked the collie.
Mr Bruce disputes her account, insisting his dogs never attacked the collie nor caused any injury to it.
He maintains the incident happened the other way round with the collie being aggressive.
Her collie entered his garden and bit Ghost on the face and tore his ear, he said.
The attack stopped when Ghost managed to overpower Clyde by standing on top of him, the court was told.
Askem was not involved at all, he says.
Shortly after the hearing on Friday got underway, Sheriff David Sutherland halted proceedings, highlighting the authority’s mistake over the location of the alleged attack.
The incident occurred on Millar Road but the council’s formal notice stated it happened on Sandwick beach.
Originally, the authority had insisted Mr Bruce’s other dog, a German weimaraner called Ghost, was also involved.
On Friday, the council was forced to withdraw the control notice it issued seven months ago which had legally required Mr Bruce to have his dog on a lead in public spaces.
Failure to comply with the notice is a criminal offence and can incur a fine of up to £1,000.
Guest house operator Mr Bruce, who represented himself in court, said: “The council bullied and intimidated me into court.”
He insisted council officials got it badly wrong right from the beginning and failed to obtain his side of the story before rushing to issue sanctions against both his dogs.
They “cannot even get the basic facts correct,“ he stated.
He added: “It is shocking what the council is allowed to do and get away with.
“This council is abusing their powers.”
Mr Bruce said ordinary people can’t afford to get justice while the council uses public money to “bully” people with its “judge, jury and executioner” stance.
He continued: “How many times has the council been wrong like this? They should review all these cases.”
“It would have cost £2000 if I had a solicitor to fight this case which ended up with the council being in the wrong,” he says.
The council dismissed Mr Bruce‘s criticisms.
A council spokesman said: “The council rejects these allegations.
“Due process was followed at all times.”
Jim Bruce with Ghost and Askem
Comhairle loses court case
5 November 2018