A shopkeeper who allowed his Alsatian guard dogs' incessant barking to keep neighbours awake at nights for FIVE YEARS fled a court after hearing about the misery he had caused.

One couple nearly split up while a mother-of-two sought counselling to cope with the din, magistrates heard.

Unlike his barking dogs, Chaand Anjum, 31, the boss of Mecca convenience store in Old Trafford, appeared to be struck dumb and uttered barely a word during a trial where he had denied a string of noise nuisance offences.

After the prosecution had outlined the terrible effect on residents, Anjum left the court without starting his defence.

He had suggested to the authorities his pets had been goaded but disappeared before he could outline this to the court.

The chairman of the bench, Paul King, convicted Anjum in his absence and said: "This was clearly one of the worst cases of neighbour nuisance we have come across."

Following the case, the M.E.N was handed video footage from a local resident of the dogs barking behind the shop.

Earlier, Trafford Council environmental health officer Peter Bellfield told Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court he started an investigation in June 2015 after reports of dogs repeatedly barking from a yard at the rear of Mecca Food Stores on Ayres Road in Old Trafford.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Residents were handed diaries to log incidents of loud dog barking before the council wrote an informal letter to Anjum asking him to keep the animals quiet.

But residents reported the problem was persisting in January of 2016 and council officials visited the following month, although Anjum wasn't there. The council was told later by email that 'I don't think there's a problem', the court heard.

Noise monitoring equipment was installed for a week at one neighbouring home and the subsequent recordings revealed 'repeated, intermittent barking during the late evening, night and early morning that was of particular concern', said Mr Bellfield.

A noise abatement notice was served on Anjum on March 18, 2016, and officials discussed with him how to address the problem.

Further recordings of barking dogs were made in October of 2016 and Anjum agreed a three-point action plan with council officials, including training the animals or bringing them inside at night if that failed.

More noise monitoring took place in November 2016 and officials met with Anjum in December 2016 to discuss the 'continuing noise nuisance with dogs barking during the early evening, overnight and during the early morning'.

He was warned he would probably fail to abide by the noise abatement notice if he continued to keep the dogs outside, as the residents were still being kept awake at night.

'One of the worst cases of neighbour nuisance we have come across' - Chairman of the bench

Mr Bellfield carried out a second site visit at 10.38pm on June 21, 2017.

"Again, it was the same pattern (of) on off barking from one or two dogs," he told the court, concluding the noise was 'excessive'.

He went on: "The character of the dog barking is important because these dogs are obviously acting as guard dogs. They are warning people not to come near to the territory they are protecting. It means (the residents) are kept awake and provoked into a reaction on hearing these dogs and hearing this over and over again throughout the night almost daily - this would wear somebody down."

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

A man in his 40s, who lives 70 metres away on Moorland Road, told the court: "Since we arrived on Moorland in 2015 I have been affected by this barking. I would say almost daily. It's affected my sleep. It's not just 9 or 10 at night. I'm talking throughout the night at 3, 5 and 6 in the morning every day of the week, weekends, weekdays."

He described how it affected him, his partner and their new-born baby.

"In the summer it was especially bad as when it's hot we have to have the window open for ventilation and that just magnifies the volume," said the father-of-two.

Anjum was 'willing to listen' at first but the barking just continued, he said.

"I would make a point of going to ask him for further updates and eventually I would just be met by rudeness and told to leave the shop and get out. They could see how affecting this was for us," said the witness, who added that the barking 'got worse' after the council issued the noise abatement order.

Another resident who teaches architecture and art, and lives 40 metres from the shop, told the court the 'persistent and consistent' barking had affected him, his partner and their two young children since they moved there four years ago.

"It's given me sleep deprivation potentially to a dangerous point where I'm driving and I'm so tired it's not safe," he told the court, adding that the constant noise had 'destroyed' their lives.

(Image: Google Street View)

"It nearly split me and my partner up. My children cannot sleep," he added.

The court heard that Anjum claimed his dogs had been 'goaded' and asked about this, the art teacher said: "I can't understand who would be goading a dog consistently from 10pm to 5am."

A museum worker who lives opposite the shop told the court she had been affected by the barking dogs since she moved there five years ago.

"Everywhere in the house you can hear dogs barking if the windows are open. I sleep with the windows shut but with the windows shut I can still hear dogs barking almost every night, repeatedly throughout the night," she said.

The barking had left her 'mental health in serious doubt', she told the court, adding that she had gone through cognitive behaviour therapy 'to cope with the fact I was consistently woken up during the night'.

"It's affected relationships in my family. I'm worried about going out in the evening because I worry about falling asleep," said the museum worker, who explained it had affected the ability of her two children aged three and five to be 'energetic and playful'.

Anjum, representing himself in court, reacted with mute silence when he was asked if he wanted to cross-examine any of the residents.

He spoke only to confirm his details at the start of the trial and then, when asked if he wanted to question Mr Bellfield, he said nothing at first before adding softly: "No, I don't know."

Following a break in the proceedings following the completion of the prosecution case, Anjum failed to return to court to begin his defence.

He could not be found despite a search of the building and its surrounds. In his absence, he was found guilty of five counts of failing to comply with a noise abatement notice. He had denied the offences.

The chairman of the bench, Paul King, said: "This was clearly one of the worst cases of neighbour nuisance we have come across."

It had been 'persistent dog barking over a number of years' while the effect on the residents who had given evidence was 'shocking and alarming', he added.

The magistrates were told by their legal adviser they could not proceed to sentence immediately in such cases, as the defendant had to be notified of the sentencing hearing, so the hearing was adjourned until December 10. If Anjum fails to show, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.

Following the trial, the M.E.N. tracked down Anjum, who could be seen working in a DIY store a few doors down from Mecca Food Stores. His dogs could still be heard barking.

One of the locals who gave evidence in court told the M.E.N: "It's affected my life so deeply and gradually. It's been almost catastrophic. It's a form of torture. It's sleep deprivation. It's an impossible situation to live with."

Residents have criticised the council for failing to act speedily amid allegations dogs have been barking from the rear of the shop since 2002.

However, Anjum was previously convicted of three noise nuisance offences in 2015 and fined £600 plus £300 prosecution costs.

Richard Roe, of Trafford Council, said: "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 take action against owners who permit this to happen."