Magistrate Edward King fined a former assistant dog warden $2,500 yesterday for illegally breeding Fila Brasileiros puppies.

In Magistrates? Court, Gino Brangman, 44, of Orchard Grove, Pembroke, who pleaded guilty to illegally breeding the puppies, also pleaded guilty to having more than three dogs on his property without the necessary permit.

He received a $1,000 fine for the second charge.

Fila Brasileiros are on the controversial Government banned dog breed list and it has been illegal to breed them since July 21, 2003.

Environmental Protection Department head Tom Sleeter said that even if the puppies weren?t one of the breeds banned in Bermuda the department would have confiscated them because they were bred without a licence.

Defence lawyer Mark Pettingill said Brangman is a well known and respected breeder.

Mr. Pettingill also told the court: ?This is not clandestine breeding that went on.?

He said that on two separate occasions during August, 2003 Brangman told dog wardens he suspected his bitch may have been impregnated by one of his male Filas.

The dog wardens told Brangman to take the dog to a vet and get the pups aborted or hand them over to the Environment Department after the birth.

Mr. Brangman did neither and three days after their birth dog wardens confiscated the 13 puppies.

?If the defendant had called the department a few hours after the birth he would not have appeared before the court,? Mr. King said.