Noisy Plymouth neighbour must pay £1,200 court bill
A NOISY resident whose loud music and blaring TV forced a neighbour to move house has been ordered to do 100 hours of community service and pay £1,200 costs.
Benjamin Whitman pleaded guilty at Plymouth Magistrates' Court to breaching two noise abatement notices served last year.
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Noisy Plymouth neighbour Benjamin Whitman must pay £1,200 court bill
The 25-year-old was first prosecuted for the breaches in October 2011 and had his television, Xbox and Playstation confiscated after failing to comply.
Whitman was also given a conditional discharge for 12 months.
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He appeared in court after breaching the order again in March.
Magistrates said he had been given every opportunity to change his behaviour but had just continued.
The fact that he had offended again during the term of a conditional discharge was viewed very seriously.
They imposed an order on conviction in relation to his anti-social behaviour and said Whitman "must not cause harassment, alarm or distress by causing or allowing the playing of amplified music, or loud speech, that is music or speech audible outside of any place or premises at which you reside either permanently or temporarily".
The order is to last for five years.
Whitman, of Maynard Close in Plympton, admitted the offences and said there had been times when he had been "out of order" and clearly "made a mistake".
He said he had made an effort with his neighbour but claimed he was over-sensitive about noise.
It was pointed out that the previous two breaches and the latest two breaches were all witnessed by council officers.
Councillor Brian Vincent, the city's Cabinet member for the environment, said outside the court: "It's staggering that this individual carried on making unacceptable levels of noise – so bad in fact, that one neighbour has since moved away.
"People have no idea what an impact noisy neighbours can have.
"It deprives hard-working families of sleep, causes a good deal of stress for neighbours and can make life miserable.
"We will do all we can to tackle this behaviour wherever it occurs and have no hesitation in taking individuals to court – more than once if we have to."
Comments
by BettyD
Tuesday, November 27 2012, 8:44PM
“Blame his parents, he was a spoilt brat and didn't care who he upset when he was younger, dear little Ben could do no wrong in their eyes”
by LHPlymouth
Tuesday, November 27 2012, 8:28PM
“"People have no idea what an impact noisy neighbours can have. It deprives hard-working families of sleep, causes a good deal of stress for neighbours and can make life miserable. We will do all we can to tackle this behaviour wherever it occurs and have no hesitation in taking individuals to court – more than once if we have to."
Such a shame that an individual can carry on making unacceptable levels of noise but the same does not apply to companies who are also causing 'neighbours' to move away.
Excuses are given for two breaches (and the rest?) made by a company building an incinerator. Why the hesitation on taking these offenders to task PCC?
Whichever way you look at they are still 'noisy neighbours'”