Dogsey

Amber Valley Borough Council has successfully brought a prosecution against a Heanor man who has continued to allow his dogs’ barking to be a nuisance to his neighbours.

On 23 and 24 October, Stuart Martin of Fall Road, appeared at Derby Magistrates’ Court charged with a second breach of a noise abatement notice, which required him to control his dogs’ excessive barking. He was found guilty and ordered to pay a total of £5,000, including costs and victim surcharge.

To protect local residents from further excessive barking, the Council was also granted the first noise-related Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) in Amber Valley, one of only a handful issued across the country, limiting the number of dogs that can be kept at Mr Martin’s property for the next two years.

The Council had become involved after neighbours complained about the excessive and unreasonable barking of a number of dogs kept at Mr Martin’s property. He was successfully prosecuted in October 2013, but continued to allow his dogs to cause a nuisance to his neighbours, so the Council decided to take him to court again.

Councillor John McCabe, Cabinet Member for Environment, with responsibility for pollution-related matters, said: “Uncontrolled and persistent dog barking can have a seriously detrimental effect on the quality of life for those who live nearby.

“This case demonstrates that the Council will not shrink from taking enforcement action in cases where individuals show such disregard for their neighbours. Securing the ASBO is good news for the residents of the neighbouring properties, who can hopefully at last have some peace and quiet.”