Bawsey man Alan Robinson discusses dog incident at caravan park which saw him wind up in court

An “animal lover” wants to set the record straight after an incident which resulted in a dog’s death saw him wind up in court.

Alan Robinson, 53, who lives at the Innisfree Park Homes caravan site in Bawsey, was on bail for 11 months following an ordeal which saw a 15-year-old Shih Tzu die.

Following the incident on April 23 last year, the Lynn News spoke to the family which owned that dog, with Gaywood woman Sally Black describing her parents’ “heartbreak” after losing their pet.

Ms Black claimed that a man - Mr Robinson - had made a noise before their dogs began to scrap, and also alleged that one of Mr Robinson’s dogs pulled her father from his mobility scooter.

Mr Robinson was subsequently charged with being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing no injury, and pleaded not guilty in August last year.

He was eventually acquitted following a trial at Lynn Magistrates’ Court in February.

Now, he wants to tell his side of a story which he says left him and his wife Wendy on the verge of breaking up due to the “harassment” they have been subjected to.

Mr Robinson says that on the day of the incident, he was walking his four dogs around the caravan park.

They were his Jack Russell, Jack Russell Border, Jack Russell Corgi, and Border Lakeland Terrier, all of which are aged between 12 and 15.

He claims it was then that he was approached by Ms Black’s father in his mobility scooter.

While his own dogs were on a lead at this time, he says Mr Black’s were not.

Mr Robinson said that Mr Black fell while trying to approach him, and was not pushed over by one of his dogs.

The five dogs at the scene then began to run around, Mr Robinson added. He says it was at this stage that the Shih Tzu bit one of his own dogs on the leg.

One of Mr Robinson’s dogs then bit the Shih Tzu in retaliation, which led to a series of puncture wounds. He proceeded to quickly pull the pets apart, but the Shih Tzu was put down a few days later.

“I couldn’t have done any more,” Mr Robinson said.

“If I had done anything like that (let his dog attack the Shih Tzu) I would put my hands up.

“They said if I was found guilty, they were going to destroy him (Mr Robinson’s dog) and that was the really distressing bit.”

Mrs Robinson told the Lynn News that her husband is “that much of an animal lover” that he has previously helped pay the vet bills for a neighbour who could not afford it.

The couple continue to live at the Bawsey caravan park, but say they have been subjected to harassment ever since the incident last year.

They say this has taken place both in person and on social media, with some posts telling them they are going to get their “comeuppance”.

“I thought that when I was found not guilty it would stop, but it has not,” Mr Robinson said.

“We are living like hermits around here.”

A Norfolk Police spokesperson has confirmed that officers were called earlier this year to reports of several incidents of harassment between April 28 last year and February 10.

They said: “An officer carried out enquiries and all lines of investigation have been exhausted pending any further information.

“Prior to this date we were called to three reports during 2023 at the same location but the victims were non-supportive and did not wish for us to pursue any investigation.”