Nightmare neighbours ordered by court to pay £3,000 after loud barking dogs drove residents to despair

William and Carol Siddle were taken to court by Sunderland City Council after their barking dogs prompted hundreds of complaints from neighbours.

The couple, of Forster Street, Roker, were ordered to pay nearly £3,000 after pleading guilty to breaching a community protection notice which had been served on them.

The prosecution at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court followed a number of complaints over a period of time, which it was said “had a huge impact on neighbours”.

Council officers resorted to court action after a number of previous attempts to address the issues with Mr and Mrs Siddle had failed to resolve the problem.

The prosecution followed a period of monitoring during which more than 2,500 loud barks were logged, Sunderland City Council has said.

Following a formal warning, the couple were served with a Community Protection Notice, but failed to comply with the requirements. One resident told council officers they “could not take any more and it was a nightmare”.

The pair were each fined £120 and ordered to pay £1,325 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Coun Amy Wilson is Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport: "Following this court case we will continue to monitor the situation and take further action should problems re-occur."