THE owner of four noisy dogs may have to get rid of some of her pets after her conviction for breaching a noise abatement order.

Lesley Smith, 62, of Hinton Avenue, Foxwood, has to pay £2171.94 in costs, a fine and a statutory surcharge following her conviction at York Magistrates' Court.

City of York Council prosecuted her following several complaints about her dogs barking noisily in the early hours.

The sentencing bench decided how much she should pay after seeing details of her income and expenditure.

But two weeks later she was back at court to tell a different bench of magistrates: “I can’t afford it.”

She said she had run up debts after falling victim over recent months to a scam, and handed in details of her income and outgoings, including a gym membership.

They told her they couldn’t reduce the punishment.

“You may want to look at your gym membership or having fewer dogs,” they told her.

But they reduced the minimum amount she has to pay each month to £100. She told them she was actively looking for a new home for one of the dogs.

Smith pleaded guilty to five offences of breaching the order, all committed in December and was fined £450 with £1676.94 costs and a £45 statutory surcharge.

The first bench heard neighbours complained about continuous disturbances from her dogs in the early hours, and that the dogs would be left outside for up to two hours a time in the evening.

Neighbourhood enforcement officers warned her and made her subject to a noise abatement notice, but the dogs continued to bark too noisily.

Smith told the second bench she had tried to reduce the noise level, but accepted that the council’s measurements showed the barking was too loud.