A MAN banned from keeping animals for five years has admitted to running a dog security company in St Albans.

Lee Turner, 28, who runs a dog security company called Max K9 Security, was fined £1,000 and had his ban extended after Watford Magistrates’ Court heard he had been involved in advertising trained dogs for sale.

In 2009 Turner was convicted of three offences of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and disqualified from keeping them for five years.

He was running the company from his parents’ address in Ver Road and keeping dogs at the home of his ex-girlfriend in Hatfield Road.

In July last year the RSPCA received a series of anonymous calls claiming the 28-year-old was selling dogs.

The court was told he had been working with dogs and recruiting dog handlers from early 2012 until November 2012.

When it became clear he was breaching his court order a warrant was issued at the address in Hatfield Road and a dog was seized by police.

Magistrates fined Turner £1,000, ordered him to pay costs of £2,333.54 and a £15 victim surcharge.

His ban on all animals was also extended by six months to March 25, 2015.

RSPCA inspector Kirsty Withnall said: “We are very grateful to the people who called to let us know that Turner was still pursuing his business and pleased that the court has seen fit to extend his ban on keeping animals.”