Bjelovar Municipal Court issues separate rulings in fraud and registration cases

The Municipal Court in Bjelovar, Croatia, has issued two distinct rulings involving financial penalties and restitution.

A 68-year-old pensioner was fined 660 euros for the unregistered breeding of pets. The individual had placed an advertisement to sell four puppies but failed to complete any sales, leaving the animals in his care. The court noted the man's difficult financial situation, as his monthly pension is 600 euros, and mitigated the fine from a potential 4,000 euros. The defendant stated he was unaware that advertising the sale of puppies required official registration with the relevant ministry.

In a separate case, a 29-year-old man was convicted of fraud regarding the sale of a Volkswagen Golf. The defendant convinced a buyer to pay 19,700 euros for a vehicle that was actually owned by a leasing company in Zagreb. The buyer provided funds via bank transfers and cash under the impression the money would settle the leasing debt to facilitate ownership transfer. Instead, the defendant kept the funds, and the leasing company eventually repossessed the car. The court ordered the defendant to return the full amount plus interest and issued a suspended prison sentence.