Music torture of noisy neighbour

Magistrates: It must have been a living hell

A NEIGHBOUR from hell has been fined after playing his music so loud that complainants described it as “torture”.

Despite receiving legal warnings telling him to stop, Ashley Noremberg (26) continued to disturb his neighbours and this led to council officers recording the racket.

He admitted three charges of failing to comply with an abatement notice at Oldham Magistrates’ Court yesterday. He was fined £350 and ordered to pay £300 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Neighbours had complained to Oldham Council in March, 2010, about being disturbed by excessive noise while Noremberg was living in Heron Street, Hollins.

Alan Evans, for the council, told the court a letter was sent to Noremberg warning him of the threat of legal action if officers decided the noise was a statutory nuisance. He was later handed a court notice giving him 24 hours to stop disturbing neighbours and did not appeal.

Officers used noise monitoring equipment in a neighbouring property and a diary sheet from a complainant to check noise levels.

Amplified music was recorded on August 13 and 14 that was considered a statutory nuisance. The diary sheet showed neighbours had to put up with seven hours of music, TV and shouting.

The recording equipment was taken away but complaints continued. It was reinstalled on January 14 this year and two days later recorded loud music and shouting between 2am and 3.15am.

Neighbours complained that their home life had been affected to such an extent that they had to move out to stay with relatives. They described it as “torture”. Mr Evans applied for costs of £1,600.

Noremberg has since moved to Argus Street, Hollins. He told the court: “The music has stopped now. Obviously I have moved and I won’t be bothering them no more.”

He accepted the noise had been a nuisance and said he would not behave the same at his new address, adding: “I’ve learned my lesson.”

Magistrates told him: “It’s a very unpleasant offence for the poor neighbours living next door. It must have been a living hell. It must have put them through absolute hell.”

They warned him: “Don’t do it again. Please, think of your neighbours.”