A shopkeeper allowed his Alsatian guard dogs to incessantly bark, keeping his neighbours awake for years.
Residents near Chaand Anjums shop spoke of a catalogue of misery, likening it to a form of torture.
One of the locals who gave evidence against Anjum during a court case, said: Its affected my life so deeply and gradually. Its been almost catastrophic. Its a form of torture.
Its sleep deprivation. Its an impossible situation to live with.
Manchester Magistrates Court heard one couple nearly split up while a mother-of-two sought counselling to cope with the din.
Anjum, 31, the boss of Mecca Food Store in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, had denied a string of noise nuisance offences.
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However he fled court, refusing to give a defence and was found guilty in his absence.
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Chairman of the bench, Paul King, said: This was clearly one of the worst cases of neighbour nuisance we have come across.
Video footage recorded by a local resident has emerged of the dogs barking behind the shop. Even after the court case, they are still there barking.
The investigation by Trafford Council environmental health team began following complaints in June 2015.
Residents around Ayres Road were handed diaries to log incidents of loud dog barking and the council wrote an informal letter to Anjum asking him to keep the animals quiet.
The barking continued, even though Anjum emailed the council to say I dont think theres a problem, the court heard.
Noise monitoring equipment was installed for a week the following year 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 environmental health officer Peter Bellfield.
A noise abatement notice was served on Anjum in March 2016 and he was warned if the guard dogs were kept outside it is likely he would be in breach of it.
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Mr Bellfield added that the residents were still kept awake by the barking and that hearing this over and over again throughout the night almost daily would wear somebody down.
A father in his 40s, who lived 70 metres away from the dogs, said his family had been affected almost daily.
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Its affected my sleep. Its not just 9 or 10 at night. Im talking throughout the night at 3, 5 and 6 in the morning every day of the week, weekends, weekdays.
Another resident, who lives 40 metres away, said the persistent and consistent barking had affected him, his partner and their two young children since they moved there four years ago.
Its given me sleep deprivation potentially to a dangerous point where Im driving and Im so tired its not safe, he told the court, adding that the constant noise had destroyed their lives.
It nearly split me and my partner up. My children cannot sleep.
Residents said Anjum was willing to listen at first but soon became rude when it was clear the dogs were still barking.
He had claimed people were goading his guard animals, but one local pointed out: I cant understand who would be goading a dog consistently from 10pm to 5am.
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Anjum, represented himself in court, and spoke only to confirm his details at the start of the trial.
He failed to return after a break and could not be found despite a search of the building and its surrounds.
He was found guilty in his absence and must appear for sentencing on December 10th. If he fails to show, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.
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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.
Anjum was previously convicted of three noise nuisance offences in 2015 and fined £600 plus £300 prosecution costs.
Richard Roe, of Trafford Council, said: 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.
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