Noise nuisance man in court for repeatedly playing loud music

A Grimsby man who bothered his neighbours by repeatedly playing loud music left court with a bill for almost £500.

Officers from North East Lincolnshire Council investigated after neighbours complained about ongoing loud music and singing coming from Christopher Ireland’s flat in Grampian Way, Scartho.

After first writing to the tenant in September 2021, officers installed a monitoring device three weeks later and recorded noise that was happening often enough and loud enough to be causing a nuisance.

They served Ireland with an abatement notice, a legal direction instructing him to stop playing loud music to an extent that it would cause a nuisance, in December 2021.

Officers visited the property in May 2022 after witnessing him playing loud music and breaching the notice.

They reminded him about the terms of the notice and gave him another copy, but witnessed further breaches over the next few months.

As a result, the Council prosecuted him at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court where Ireland, 58, was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £466.23 costs and a £26 victim surcharge.

Cllr Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, said:

“Most noise complaints can be resolved without the need for legal action, it’s rare that cases end up in court.

“Often, people are not aware of the issue they may be causing and a friendly chat with them usually works.

“In the more serious cases like this one, where the offender persisted in causing a nuisance despite our warnings to stop, we will take action through the courts.”

For more details on dealing with noise problems, visit https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/keeping-our-area-clean-and-safe/nuisance-behaviour/noise-problems/