A DOG owner last night growled his mutts were “on death row” after a judge ordered him to control their excessive barking – or they will be taken away from him.

OAP John Hayden, 73, took a court case against Henry Woodruffe, 54, over the “constant” noise from his next-door neighbour’s pooches.

3 Henry at home with his pets Credit: Garrett White - The Sun

Retired welder John yesterday gave evidence that he “can’t get a night’s sleep” in Mooretown, Swords, north Co Dublin, because Woodruffe’s dogs were barking “day and night”.

The pensioner, whose wife is in a nursing home, also complained in court about discos, banging, roaring and shouting “all the time” from dad Woodruffe’s house as he was accused of being “a public order nuisance”.

Elderly John further claimed he had been subjected to “threats” from Woodruffe after the OAP put spikes on his railings.

He said: “Mr Woodruffe threatened me when I put a new railing around my garden.

3 John Hayden complained about Mr Woodruffe's dogs barking Credit: Garrett White - The Sun

Mr Woodruffe threatened that he would fall on top of my railing, claim off the insurance so, as a result, I had to put an extra bar on top.”

Quizzed in court, Woodruffe admitted his three-year-old Jack Russell Ruby and an 11-year-old Bichon Frise do bark on occasion but disputed they made as much noise as was being alleged.

The father produced an anti-bark dog collar in court which he claimed he had used on the hounds to stop them making noise.

But Judge Dermot Dempsey collared Woodruffe after insisting the device was new and had not been used.

Handing down judgement, the judge declared pensioner John was “entitled to a bit of peace and quiet”.

And Woodruffe was warned the mutts would be sent to the dog warden unless the excessive barking is stopped within one month.

3 Henry Woodruffe, from Swords, at Swords District Court Credit: Garrett White - The Sun

Judge Dempsey said: “I’m telling you Mr Woodruffe, unless those collars are used on the dogs and this nuisance is abated within one month, I’m making an order for the dog to be taken to the dog warden.

“That’s it. I’m accepting Mr Hayden’s evidence in this matter.

“And unless something is done and those collars work with those dogs, you won’t have to worry about putting collars on them.”

Swords District Court heard yesterday the dogs bark while sleeping outside the back door in a hut.

I’m a 73-year-old pensioner who worked all my life, only to suffer this hell in retirement. It is hell, pure hell. John Hayden

Woodruffe produced an ultrasonic dog collar before the judge which he claimed had been used in a bid to prevent the mutts barking.

But the judge rapped: “That has not been used on any dogs, it looks pretty new to me. That collar has not been used on any dog.”

Judge Dempsey told Woodruffe that unless the noise nuisance was dealt with within one month, the dogs would be removed to the dog warden.

Speaking to the Irish Sun last night, John welcomed the ruling.

He told us: “My life has been made a misery by this man and his dogs.

“I’m a 73-year-old pensioner who worked all my life, only to suffer this hell in retirement. It is hell, pure hell.

“Barking, barking, barking, the noise all times of the day and night. It would drive you mad.

“I can’t get a night’s sleep, the noise is non-stop. The judge’s ruling is a victory for decency.”

The judge wasn’t believing anything I had to say…he didn’t even believe the collars were even worn. Henry Woodruffe

But Woodruffe claimed ruff justice, moaned that the dogs had been put “on death row” and vowed to appeal.

He yelped to the Irish Sun: “The dog is on death row as it stands.

“That’s how serious it is, the dog is on death row.

“I’m going to lodge an appeal...I’m definitely going to appeal it.”

Woodruffe also claimed he nose best about the law in relation to the case.

He said: “The statute lacks definition. What is the definition of excessive barking? The statute is vague.”

The father, who described himself as a dog lover, maintained he had bought two anti-bark collars for the mutts.

Woodruffe moaned: “The judge wasn’t believing anything I had to say…he didn’t even believe the collars were even worn.

“If you come up to my house now, you will probably find the dog with the other collar on.

“I bought two collars, this one could have been off the Bichon, she doesn’t wear it as much as she doesn’t bark.

“Now the problem is not with the Bichon, so I didn’t put the collar on it.

“The problem is with the Jack Russell…"

Woodruffe claimed the court case stemmed from “a neighbourhood dispute” with Hayden and denied any anti-social behaviour took place at his house.

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And speaking to our reporter, Woodruffe also queried why the Irish Sun was in court.

He said: “Is that the only reason you were there today? You seem to be more interested in this than you were in anything else (other cases).”

Woodruffe added: “I don’t want to say too much because I don’t know what you are going to f**king print.”