Stotfold dog owner hit with £4k fine for persistent barking nuisance
Thursday, 11 April 2024
A dog owner who allowed his barking pet to cause a nuisance to his neighbours has been hit with a fine and court costs totalling over £4,000.
Our officers served a Noise Abatement Notice, on Mr Mark Racher in May 2022, following complaints from neighbours about Mr Racher’s dog barking excessively. Prior to serving the Notice, officers made several visits to a neighbouring property where the barking from Mr Racher’s dog could be heard, but despite repeated warnings to control the noise, Mr Racher failed to control his dog’s barking.
During the recent proceedings at Luton Magistrates Court, it was revealed that officers made five further visits to witness the noise caused by Mr Racher’s dog after the Notice had been served. Evidence presented to the court included five breaches of the notice occurring between 21 June 2022 and 19 August 2022.
Mr Racher was found guilty in his absence of five breaches of a Noise Abatement Notice. He was ordered to pay a fine of £250 for each offence, a victim surcharge of £500 and costs of £2,423.56, a total cost of £4,173.56.
Councillor Rebecca Hares, Executive Member for Health and Community Liaison, said:
We resort to legal action only after trying to educate individuals and issuing a Noise Abatement Notice. However, if the noise persists, we will look to prosecute. As part of our enforcement efforts, it's cruicial for us to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents, including animals. We will assess the impact on the welfare of any animals involved in the disturbance. We won't tolerate environmental crimes like noise, fly-tipping, or littering in Central Bedfordshire. We're determined to keep Central Bedfordshire a great place to live and work.
Anyone wanting to report a noise nuisance should call 0300 300 8302 or visit our website