A DOG walker has promised a judge not to return to Coate Water after dozens of complaints that she failed to control a pack of dogs that chased sheep and intimidated other park users.

Swindon Borough Council had applied to the County Court for an injunction on the grounds that Jenny Hern had been responsible for numerous acts of antisocial behaviour over the years.

But on the day of the hearing she signed a formal undertaking to stay away from the public park for the next two years.

Judge Alex Ralton stressed there was no admission of fault and that the allegations in the case remained only allegations. But he warned the consequences of breaching the undertaking could be severe.

Council animals officer Alison Waine said: “It is the first time we have ever had to do anything like this for a dog walker. The undertaking is very clear.

“Obviously the hope we have is that she heeds the warning and we don’t have the same problem popping up somewhere else.”

There were accusations dating back to 2007 about the behaviour of a woman walking a number of dogs. “There have been dozens and dozens of complaints,” Ms Waine said.

Park users reported being harassed by a pack of dogs, of having their pets attacked and animals being out of control. The owner was said to be aggressive and dismissive of other dog owners’ concerns.

In one case a dog picked up and shook another walker’s terrier.

Mrs Hern, who has five dogs and looks after or walks others, was interviewed, but the dog responsible could not be pinpointed.

In December 2015 a woman said her dog had been attacked and she had been bitten while trying to separate her pet from Mrs Hern’s.

And in November 2016 a resident claimed Mrs Hern was walking 15 dogs while using a mobility scooter and one of the dogs ran into a cattery. He said when he chased it off it snapped at him.

Complaints that the dogs were frightening children and causing problems for cyclists followed.

A groom, who had to ride expensive competition horses every day, told the council she had encountered serious problems with dogs running up and barking, winding the horses up.

She claimed when she asked the woman to put the dogs on a lead when the horses came into sight, the woman was abusive.

In May last year Mrs Hern made an informal undertaking to the council that she would only walk five dogs at Coate Water and if they didn’t belong to her she would keep them on a lead.

She would also refrain from being abusive. However within weeks complaints were being made again, so council officers visited her in October and November.

According to the 25-strong list of complaints on the council’s injunction application, in November she allowed a husky to chase sheep in a field off Day House Lane. She blamed a hole in the fence and was told to keep her dogs on a lead until past the spot.

A few days later the husky was seen chasing sheep again. On December 11 the farmer arrived to see one sheep injured on the ground and the husky ripping wool from another. The dog was chased off and the wounded sheep had to be treated for a tear in its side.

Just two days later the husky was back and chasing sheep again, causing a commotion as the distressed animals ran across the field.

The farmer told the council that when she was warned the dog could be shot, she replied: “Shoot the dog, just shoot it.”

Ms Waine said: “Not a week after our last visit to the property we have got four instances of a dog being allowed to chase sheep, which is just crazy.”

The final complaint on the application came from a woman on February 1 who was with her disabled son and puppy. She described being surrounded by a pack, feeling threatened by the husky and picking up the puppy. She also claimed Mrs Hern criticised her for picking the puppy up and became abusive towards her.

After the case Mrs Hern of Ripon Way said: “I’m going to miss Coate. But there are plenty of other nice places to go.”