Jarrow woman hit with £1,000 court bill after playing loud music in early hours
Katie Brannen, 28, of Eden Walk in Jarrow, was fined £660 plus £487.58 costs and ordered to pay a £66 victim surcharge when her case was brought before South Tyneside Magistrates’ court.
South Tyneside Council said Miss Brannen had been given a number of warnings from the authority’s environmental health service about playing music at excessive volumes, particularly late at night and into the early hours of the morning.
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Hide AdThe council said despite being warned about her behaviour, she continued to play amplified music which resulted in environmental officers serving a noise abatement notice in October 2020.
The authority said Miss Brannen breached the notice and council officers applied for a warrant to enter the property and seize the noise-making equipment.
Miss Brannen was found guilty in her absence of breaching the abatement notice served on her which is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
The council said it was granted a forfeiture order by the magistrates, awarding it permanent possession of Miss Brannen’s ‘noise making equipment’.
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Hide AdStuart Wright, Head of Environment at the council, said: “The behaviour of this resident made life insufferable for her neighbours.
“While prosecution is usually a last resort, we will take action when necessary to protect the rights of the local community who are entitled to live without unreasonable disturbance from those around them.”