Arun takes more care after High Court fiasco

The judge in the case made a scathing attack on Arun's "pure petty bureaucracy" and said the council's case against Derrick Spooner, of Angmering, was "a quite extraordinary way to spend public money".

Arun appealed in the High Court after Worthing magistrates threw out its initial prosecution against Mr Spooner, for allegedly operating a private hire vehicle '“ an animal ambulance '“ without a licence.

But Lord Justice Thomas, dismissing the appeal, said the case should never have been taken to court in the first place, adding: "To pursue it against a 72-year-old man in this court is disgraceful."

Colin Rogers, Arun's services director, and Sue Fairs-Browning, head of internal audit, carried out a review of the case after the appeal hearing, "to reflect objectively on the lessons to be learnt and to put in place safeguards to prevent a recurrence of a similar nature".

Arun's licensing committee, which backed the appeal on the advice of an officer, accepted the findings of the review, and agreed to new measures tightening up procedures in the event of a possible appeal.

These include having a written report with advice from a barrister and senior officers on the merits of an appeal following a failed magistrates' court prosecution, closer scrutiny of evidence before cases are taken to any court, and the possible involvement of cabinet level councillors as well as the committee in decisions to take cases to appeal.