A LARGE fine has been handed down by the courts to a man who continually allowed his dogs to bark.

Robert Stanton pleaded guilty to breaching a council abatement notice relating to noise from barking dogs.

The prosecution was heard before Warrington Magistrates’ Court recently, brought about following an investigation by Halton Borough Council for behaviour contrary to the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

In total, eight complaints about barking dogs under the control of Stanton, of Redacre Close in Dutton, had been made to the council since March 2023.

The council was satisfied the noise from the barking dogs amounted to a statutory nuisance, with an abatement notice issued in April 2023.

For an issue to count as a statutory nuisance, it must unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises.

The notice required the 38-year-old to abate the noise nuisance caused by the barking dogs.

However, the council found evidence of multiple breaches of that abatement notice caused by barking from a number of bull-breed dogs kept at the property owned by Stanton.

For example, on May 23, 2023, approximately 1,026 barks were recorded during the course of 44 minutes, while 923 were heard over 49 minutes the previous day.

An 11-minute spell on May 21, 2023, saw 251 barks recorded, with 177 heard the day before over a 14-minute period.

Stanton admitted that he failed without reasonable excuse to comply with a requirement to prevent the recurrence of barking dogs at his home.

The court ordered him to pay a total of £1,427, broken down into a fine of £250, council costs of £1,077 and a statutory surcharge of £100.

The council has also instigated proceedings to consider the making of a criminal behaviour order in respect of Stanton, which is to be decided at a contested hearing later this year.