Loud Music Gets a Havant Resident a Conviction

A Havant resident has been convicted of anti-social behaviour and causing a nuisance through excessive noise.

Lisa Horstead, 40 years old, of Athena Avenue, Waterlooville, was handed a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) by Portsmouth Magistrates Court on 14 February 2017.

Havant Borough Council’s Environmental Health Team has been working with neighbours for eight months and has been instrumental in securing this conviction

The CBO gives HBC a tool to deal with individuals, such as Horstead, who behave persistently in an anti-social manner or engage in criminal activities.

Horstead pleaded guilty to four offences of causing statutory noise nuisance by playing loud amplified music which affected her neighbours.

There are conditions attached to the order which prohibit Horstead from playing music, amplified or otherwise, at her property at a volume that can be heard outside of her property.

Anyone in attendance at the residence must also adhere to the conditions and any breach of the conditions could result in up to five years’ imprisonment.

Councillor Tony Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Environment Health, said: “This case has been a big success for our Environmental Health team and the conviction is a direct result of its hard work and persistence.

ABC Note:  If you are suffering with the neighbours from hell, a way to tackle this issue is to speak to the police and then your local council environmental officer. Councils have strategies for dealing with nuisance neighbours and confronting the person yourself could lead to the situation getting out of hand and a ‘breech of the peace’. Put your complaint in writing and get ‘proof of posting’. This route may take longer than a direct approach, but once you have made an official complaint your Council is obliged to deal with the matter. You have the right to the ‘quiet enjoyment of your property’ and your redress can be to bring a civil claim for damages, something that ought to make your neighbour think twice before they over exercise the volume control on their sound system.