Crickhowell woman loses £30,000 noisy dog legal fight

Scally (not pictured) has been put down since the noise nuisance complaint

A woman faces a costly bill after losing a legal fight over her daughter's barking dog.

The Court of Appeal ruled Angela Waring, of Crickhowell, Powys, was jointly responsible for the nuisance caused to neighbours by terrier Scally.

The dog lived with Ms Waring's daughter Kim Eacott in Hereford, but her mother owned the cottage.

She challenged her liability after both women were hit with a £31,000 bill for legal costs.

Miss Eacott was also ordered to pay £3,500 in damages and her mother £1,000.

That bill was increased on Wednesday, potentially by thousands of pounds, after Mrs Waring lost her appeal against a county court ruling on liability.

Complaints about Scally were made by Bryn and Diane Cocking, who lived in the cottage adjoining Mrs Waring's property.

They said the excessive barking began in 2004 and they kept a detailed log from 2008.

A judge at Worcester County Court previously found Mrs Waring became aware of the complaints from 2009 and had written a letter defending her daughter.

Scally had "separation anxiety" and would bark constantly.

Mrs Waring wrote to her daughter saying: "If Scally barks when you are not there, there is a dog whisperer in Abergavenny who can cure him in a gentle way."

She argued she should be legally regarded as her daughter's landlord and therefore could not be held responsible for the nuisance.

But three appeal judges ruled she was liable because she was "in control of the property, notwithstanding that she did not live there".

Mrs Waring paid all the bills and maintained the property, even though the pair had fallen out and were estranged. Ms Eacott moved out of the cottage in 2014.