NEIGHBOURS have branded the £1,500 fine dished out to a boutique hotel owner over clay pigeon shooting “pathetic”.

Jason Hunt admitted two counts of failing to comply with an order from South Oxfordshire District Council to stop holding the shoots on land near the Crazy Bear Hotel in Stadhampton.

The 51-year-old was handed the abatement notice in January last year, but a court heard he continued holding events over the next two months.

Sitting at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday District Judge Tim Pattinson fined Hunt £750 each for the two breaches.

But neighbours branded the fines “pathetic”.

Stephen Hendry said he and his wife used to have a thriving restaurant at their garden centre, Newington Nurseries, until the gunfire scared away business.

He said: “It was destroying what we had built up over the years.”

Dane Clouston, who lives nearby, said at some events more than 80 rounds a minute were fired.

Speaking after the hearing, he added: “It’s pathetic. He [Hunt] said he had a very successful business so I don’t think £1,500 is going to discourage him.”

Prosecutor Gary Grant said neighbours had described the noise as “horrific”.

Council officers visited the site and issued the abatement notice in January.

But when neighbours complained again, officers returned twice in March to find shoots still going on.

Phil Crier, defending, said after the notice was handed out, Hunt met the council and spent £75,000 on new acoustic shooting shelters.

He added: “My client’s understanding was that the council were happy with the steps taken. It was a real shock when the proceedings were issued.

“It was a genuine mistake.”

Mr Pattinson said: “What has enabled me to impose a much more moderate fine than would otherwise be the case is the attempts to mitigate the distress, and the considerable expenditure Mr Hunt has incurred.”