Man Fined £12,800 After Night-Time Dog Noise Complaints

A man who left dogs barking at night in kennels near homes has been ordered to pay £12,800 following a prosecution by Cornwall Council.

Court hears details of repeated noise issues

Norman Dalgarno, of Lords Meadow, Tregony, was convicted after a two-day trial at Truro Magistrates’ Court on 25th and 26th March.

The 74-year-old faced four charges relating to breaches of a Community Protection Notice and one charge for refusing to provide landowner details.

The court heard that Norman kept dogs in kennels around 20 metres from nearby homes. However, he lived separately in another residential area of Tregony, more than 260 metres away from the site.

Despite repeated warnings from council officers, Norman did not effectively monitor the kennels or prevent night-time barking. As a result, he was found to have breached the notice. He also refused to provide landowner details when legally required.

Fines, costs and further restrictions imposed

Norman was fined a total of £2,000 and ordered to pay an £800 victim surcharge. He was also told to contribute £10,000 towards prosecution costs, bringing the total to £12,800.

Magistrates considered the case serious enough to impose a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order. This prohibits Norman from keeping dogs at the site and from allowing any dogs under his control to cause nuisance or annoyance to the local community.

Council response

Thalia Marrington, cabinet member with responsibility for Community Safety and Public Protection at Cornwall Council, said: “This case demonstrates our commitment to protecting residents from persistent nuisance behaviour.

“Excessive dog barking can have a serious impact on quality of life, particularly at night, and we will continue to take firm action where enforcement notices are ignored.”

Reporting ongoing issues

Cornwall Council is encouraging residents experiencing ongoing noise problems or other forms of anti social behaviour to report concerns via the council’s website.

You can find more information or report issues here: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment/environmental-protection/noise/