Southampton's 'Happy Hotdog Man' might face prison if he doesn't stop selling

At the city magistrates court Ian Kruger was fined for selling hotdogs in Above Bar Street.

Kruger had already been fined for breaching a control of sales order put in place by the city council in Above Bar.

The order bans unauthorised trading in the street and “is necessary to ensure that pedestrian safety is not compromised and sufficient space is available in an emergency”.

But prosecutors said he was confronted by council license officials as he was selling in Above Bar Street in February 2016, despite having already been convicted of the same offence.

Kruger, of Millbrook, was not in court but was fined a total of £942 in his absence.

Ben Atrill, prosecuting on behalf of Southampton City Council, said: “This gentleman in particular sees these fines as a business expense and it may be the council has to seek alternative means of preventing him.

“He is clearly not taking it seriously, it may be the council will be forced to take the route of a civil injunction and if he is in breach of that, that can result in a custodial sentence.”

Emily Byrne, who sells ethnic jewellery from a stall, was also fined in her absence for breaching the same order in February this year.

The 23-year-old from Dibden was fined a total of £942 by chief magistrate Mrs A Hobbs, and has breached the order on multiple occasions before.

Bboth Kruger and Byrne are challenging the ruling preventing them from pitching up in Above Bar Street without a designated licence from the council and handed in a petition signed by 1,560 people.

Council chiefs are banning anyone setting up their stall in the busy shopping street unless they pay for a market pitch, which can typically cost up to £50 a day.

Another pedlar, Simon Hopkins, was also fined by the court for breaching the same order.

The 50-year-old from Thornhill appeared in court and pleaded guilty to breaching the council order in February 2016.

He was fined a total of £860.