A Therfield couple have been ordered to pay almost £18,000 after breaching a notice to keep noise down in their home.

David and Marilyn Govan were prosecuted on eight counts for breaching a noise abatement notice at their home in Hay Green, Therfield.

The couple – who failed to attend the hearing at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court on April 1 – were fined £1,000 per charge, amounting to £8,000 per defendant. They were ordered to pay costs of £1881.75 and £100 in victim surcharges, amounting to a total of £17,981.75.

North Hertfordshire District Council received intermittent complaints about noise and anti-social behaviour at the property.

The couple failed to comply with a ban on the recurrence of noise associated with the keeping of dogs – namely barking, howling, yapping and whining.

Andy Godman, head of housing and public protection services at NHDC, said: “If a complaint is made to the council, we have a duty to investigate it, and wherever possible we try to resolve the issue amicably.

“However, after ignoring repeated warnings about breaches of the noise abatement notice, Mr and Mrs Govan continued to be a source of distress to their neighbours. Therefore in cases like this, where someone chooses to ignore the law, we have no alternative but to pursue legal proceedings. We are pleased with the level of the fine issued as it reflected the level of disturbance caused.”

If you are affected by noise issues or need advice, then visit the council website at www.north-herts.gov.uk and search for ‘noise’.

To notify the council of a noise disturbance, you can report it online, or if you have a smartphone, you can use the Noise App to record samples of the noise to send in.