Noisy dog owner banned from driving

MAGISTRATES have punished a Weston man for having a noisy dog – by banning him from driving.

Terence Kingston will not be allowed behind the wheel for three weeks after his dog was heard barking 532 times in a 30-minute period by an environmental protection officer.

The 57-year-old was brought to North Somerset Courthouse after the offence at his Ullswater Close home, which saw his dog woof an average of once every 3.4 seconds.

North Somerset Council’s executive member for environmental protection, Councillor Peter Bryant, said: “While the magistrates may not have imposed a financial penalty they have still inconvenienced him by imposing a driving disqualification, which I fully applaud.”

Before the offence, which took place in July 2009, Mr Kingston had been told to stop his dog making such a racket in August 2008.

But he failed and was fined £875 and ordered to pay £871.44 for two breaches of the noise abatement notice the following March.