Could you sleep through this? Couple are fined after secret recording catches their 16 noisy dogs barking more than 130 times between midnight and 4am at their cottage in rural Wales
- Neighbours in Velindre, West Wales, used council noise app to record the dogs
- They made 130 recordings some which took place at midnight and also at 4am
- Neighbours also launched a petition against the dogs, attracting 90 signatures
- Couple admitted failing to comply with noise abatement notice and fined £160
A couple with 16 dogs have been slapped with a fine after their barking animals were secretly recorded more than 130 times at night.
Angry neighbours in the village of Velindre, near Llandysul, west Wales, used a council noise app to covertly record the couple’s rowdy pooches, which include German Shepherds and Jack Russells, after becoming incensed by the late-night barking.
The secret recordings of the animals, owned by Mark and Julie Thompson, both 56, sometimes took place as late as midnight and as early as 4am in the morning.
Narked neighbours also launched a petition protesting the noise – which attracted 90 signatures.
The recordings sparked environmental protection chiefs at Carmenthenshire County Council to intervene.
They visited couple, who last year were fined £3,000 and slapped with a noise abatement notice after repeatedly failing to keep their noisy dogs quiet at their countryside cottage.
Angry neighbours in the village of Velindre, near Llandysul, west Wales, used a council noise app to covertly record the couple’s rowdy pooches (pictured: where the dogs were kept) after becoming incensed by the late-night barking
The couple claimed neighbours had been deliberately been provoking their dogs into barking and that the noise app was ‘very sensitive’.
A spokeswoman for Carmenthenshire County Council said: ‘In mitigation the couple claimed that they had done everything that they could to prevent their dogs from causing a nuisance and that other people had antagonised the dogs causing them to bark.
‘They also claimed the recordings included barking from other people’s dogs.
‘They also suggested that the council’s recordings were very sensitive and picking up other noises from a wide area.’
But the pair have now been prosecuted for a second time over the noise.
This time they admitted failing to comply with a noise abatement notice at Llanelli Magistrates Court.
Mr and Mrs Thompson were fined £80 each and ordered to pay £250 court costs.
The recordings sparked environmental protection chiefs at Carmenthenshire County Council to intervene and speak to the couple, who last year were fined £3,000 and ordered to hush their pets after repeatedly failing to keep their noisy dogs quiet at their countryside cottage (pictured)
Carmarthenshire County Councillor Philip Hughes said: ‘It is very disappointing to find Mr and Mrs Thompson back before the courts just a year later after been found guilty for the same offence.
‘The evidence clearly shows that there was a significant amount of continuing disturbance caused by the barking throughout the day and night and the pair failed to keep their dogs from barking under control.
‘These noise levels are totally unacceptable and have caused a lot of stress for the residents for a considerable length of time. I now hope that Mr and Mrs Thompson will take the appropriate action as advised.’