A man who has 25 cats and 12 dogs in his Marsa home was today conditionally discharged for two years for breaching the peace and harassing his neighbours with the stench and loud barking generated by his animals.

Agostino Borg, 54, of Marsa was also found guilty - by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras - of taking his garbage bags, soiled with animal urine, out into the road before collection time on and before April last year.

The magistrate heard 12 neighbours testify how they had to suffer an unbearable stench and constant barking. One woman said this was so terrible she could not even watch television or open a window.

Neighbours said that when they asked him to do something to improve the situation he made his dogs bark even more. They said he could be heard telling his dogs: " So and so is passing by. Bark so he sues us. I will defend you.... bark as loud as you can as no one can stop us."

The magistrate also heard how the animals were well looked after and in a good state of health.

The magistrate gave Mr Borg two months to remove the animals from his home and asked  the Animal Welfare Commissioner to help him home the animals.

In January Mr Borg had been fined €100  over similar charges and was given three months to get rid of the animals. The first case concerned the same animals causing a nuisance to neighbours in January this year. The first case did not include the harassment charge. He is appealing both judgments.