Shopkeeper’s barking dogs ruined lives for FIVE YEARS
A SHOPKEEPER who allowed his Alsatian guard dogs’ incessant barking to keep neighbours awake at night for FIVE YEARS fled a court after hearing about the misery he had caused.
One couple nearly split up while a mother-of-two sought counselling to cope with the din, magistrates heard.
Unlike his barking dogs, Chaand Anjum, 31, the boss of Mecca convenience store in Old Trafford, appeared to be struck dumb and uttered barely a word during a trial where he had denied a string of noise nuisance offences. After the prosecution had outlined the terrible effect on residents, Anjum left the court without starting his defence. Chairman of the bench, Paul King, convicted Anjum in his absence and said: “This was clearly one of the worst cases of neighbour nuisance we have come across.”
Trafford council environmental health officer Peter Bellfield told Manchester magistrates court he started an investigation in June 2015 after reports of dogs repeatedly barking from a yard at the rear of the shop on Ayres Road.
A noise abatement notice was served on Anjum on March 18, 2016, and officials discussed with him how to address the problem.
Further recordings of barking dogs were made in October of 2016 and Anjum agreed a three-point action plan with council officials, including training the animals or bringing them inside at night if that failed. More noise monitoring took place in November 2016 and officials met with Anjum in December 2016 to discuss the ‘continuing noise nuisance with dogs barking during the early evening, overnight and during the early morning.’ He was warned he would probably fail to abide by the noise abatement notice if he continued to keep the dogs outside, as the residents were still being kept awake at night.
Mr Bellfield carried out a second site visit at 10.38pm on June 21, 2017.
“Again, it was the same pattern (of) on-off barking from one or two dogs,” he told the court, concluding the noise was ‘excessive.’
A resident who teaches architecture and art and lives 40 metres from the shop, told the court the ‘persistent and consistent’ barking had affected him, his partner and their two young children since they moved there four years ago. “It’s given me sleep deprivation potentially to a dangerous point where I’m driving and I’m so tired it’s not safe,” he told the court, adding that the constant noise had ‘destroyed’ lives.
Anjum was found guilty in his absence of five counts of failing to comply with a noise abatement notice. He had denied the offences.
Magistrates could not proceed to sentence immediately as the defendant had to be notified of the sentencing hearing. The case was adjourned until December 10. If Anjum fails to show, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.