Halton Borough Council has secured a Criminal Behaviour Order against a Widnes man for continually allowing his dogs to bark, almost a thousand times an hour at one point, in what is said to be worst case of noise nuisance that the council has ever had to deal with.

The order issued on Friday 27 April by Warrington Magistrate’s Court requires John Laveric, 42, of Eric Street Widnes to remove all four dogs,  from his property by Friday 4 May.

The order, the first Criminal Behaviour Order secured by Halton’s officers, also prevents any dogs being kept on the property for a period of two years.

Laveric was also fined £200 plus a victim surcharge of £30 after being found guilty of failing to comply with an abatement notice. He was also required to pay the councils costs of £800.

The prosecution and Court Order followed an investigation by Halton Council’s Environmental Health Department. At one point noise recording equipment installed by the council in a neighbouring property recorded dogs barking 953 times in one hour.

The council originally issued a noise abatement notice against Laveric, following complaints received by his neighbours.

On Friday 6 April at Warrington Magistrates Court Mr Laveric pleaded not guilty of failing to comply with the abatement notice but he was found guilty after a trial. The court heard evidence of sustained and persistent non-compliance with the abatement notice.

A spokesperson for Halton Council Environmental Health stated “This is the worst case of noise nuisance that the council has ever had to deal with. The sustained nuisance from barking dogs continued even after the council had issued a noise abatement notice.

“The noise had a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of the defendants neighbours. We do try to resolve nuisance complaints informally but if we find evidence of sustained noise nuisance and non-compliance with abatement notices we will take robust enforcement action.

“The severity of this case is underlined by the fact this was the first Criminal Behaviour Order issued in Halton for noise nuisance”.