A shopkeeper has been banned from keeping his Alsatian dogs within 800 metres of his property after they disturbed his neighbours’ peace and quiet by barking excessively.
Chaand Anjum, owner of Mecca Food Store on Ayres Road in Old Trafford, was also ordered by Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court to pay a total of more than £22,000 in fines and court costs.
On Monday, November 12, he was convicted in his absence of five charges of failing to comply with a Noise Abatement Notice. Trafford Council brought a case against Mr Anjum after neighbours complained of his two Alsatian dogs barking at all hours in the yard behind the shop.
Mr Anjum was fined £1,400 for each of the offences and issued with a £200 victim’s surcharge and ordered to pay the council’s costs totalling £15,791.21.
Trafford Council applied for and was granted a Criminal Behaviour Order that requires Mr Anjum to remove his dogs within 21 days from the Mecca Food Store, Ayres Road, Old Trafford and to not keep any dog anywhere on these premises, or any other premises within an 800m radius distance, for as long as he is the owner or occupier of 131 Ayres Road.
Mr Anjum provided a statement to the court claiming that he had not been given a fair trial and did not accept the convictions, which he planned to appeal.
It is the second successful prosecution the Council had brought against Mr Anjum, who was convicted of three other offences of causing a noise nuisance in October 2016. He was previously fined a total of £600, plus costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £20.
Since 2015 officers had been investigating a number of complaints from six households about excessive barking from two Alsatian dogs that were being kept at the store. Following the first conviction, Council officers continued to receive complaints from local residents of noise caused by barking dogs kept on the premises. Despite further warning being issued to Mr Anjum, officers went on to collect significant evidence of noise during the early morning and late evening periods that was considered to be in breach of the notice.
Cllr Stephen Adshead, Trafford Council Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality and Climate Change, said:
Magistrates earlier said this was one of the worst examples of neighbour noise nuisance they had come across so we are delighted with the outcome of this case. The Council is determined to protect its residents from unacceptable levels of noise that disrupt their right to peace and quiet.
Allowing dogs to bark over prolonged periods of time is not something that people should have to tolerate and the Council will continue to take action against owners who permit this to happen.
Anyone who is concerned about a noise nuisance that is having a negative effect on their lives should contact the Council’s Regulatory Services on 0161 912 1377.
Posted on Wednesday 12th December 2018