A man kept more than 50 dogs and cats which he named after his neighbours and used profanities when talking to them in an apparent jibe, a court heard today.

Fifteen neighbours were spurred to take action against Agostino Borg, 52, of Marsa, by the animals’ stench and “constant” barking.

They said he allowed the situation to degenerate to such an extent that people living in the vicinity could not even open their window due to the smell of excrement.

Mr Borg is being charged with breaching the peace, discarding garbage in the street and failing to stop his pets from annoying neighbours. He is pleading not guilty.

Testifying, PC Christopher Debono said that on January 6 at around 8.30pm he received a report from various people complaining about animals making noises in Triq San Frangisk, Marsa.

The residents complained that Mr Borg had named the dogs after them and that he left garbage bags outside with liquid seeping out of them.

The officer said he on site and could hear the barking from some 80 metres away. When standing at Mr Borg’s front door, the noise was so loud he could not even hold a conversation.

Then, Mr Borg had some 40 cats and 14 dogs inside the property and the stench was overwhelming, the officer said.

Resident Joseph Zammit said that he had been suffering from the problems created by the constant barking for a long time. And when the wind blew from the south, he could not open windows because of the stench.

Another neighbour, Mary Rose Bugeja, said Mr Borg was nasty to her and once, after she was released from hospital, she overheard him telling one of the dogs “oh look, she is still alive”.

She added that she could not sleep because of the barking and sometimes thought the walls of her house would fall down due to the excessive noise.

At one point during the proceedings lawyer Joe Mifsud, who was representing the residents, told magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras he would not ask her to visit the site out of respect for her because it was so bad.

The magistrate told him to refrain from making such comments.

The case continues.

Lawyer Marion Camilleri appeared for Mr Borg.