22/11/2006

Being noisy neighbours cost a Langley Green couple £890 at Horsham magistrates court on Tuesday (November 14).

Benjamin and Anisha Mitchell, of Cherry Lane, pleaded guilty to repeatedly breaching a Noise Abatement Notice issued by Crawley Council. They were fined a total of £390 and ordered to pay £500 towards the Council's costs.

The court heard that the couple repeatedly played loud music in their home during the day and night, causing disturbance to neighbours.

Angela Tanner, Crawley Council's head of environmental services, said after the hearing: “Our investigation took a large amount of time and effort and we were disappointed that the magistrates only awarded us a small proportion of our costs of bringing this case to court. In addition, we felt the relatively small fine did not reflect the severity of the repeated problem the couple were causing. However, we are now hoping to obtain an Anti-Social Behaviour Order to try to persuade the family not to create a recurrence of the noise problem."

ends

Issued by Janet Treagus.

Tel 01293 438399, email janet.treagus@crawley.gov.uk