Legal News

Harrow Council has taken action against a noisy neighbour who played loud music with explicit lyrics on repeat at high volume.

The council’s environmental health team said that Mandu Ukpong had a history of “making life a misery” for his neighbours at Yeoman Court, Pinner Road in Harrow.

He played loud music at all hours – and was given a Noise Abatement Notice in September 2016. However, Ukpong began to play music loudly again within days of receiving the notice.

Environmental health officers and police visited Ukpong’s home on 17 November 2016, after further complaints.

When they arrived, they heard one track containing explicit lyrics being played repeatedly, but there was no answer at the door. Officers returned with a court warrant, seized Ukpong’s hi-fi and speakers and summoned him to court.

At Willesden Magistrates’ Court, Ukpong was fined £2,000 for two counts of breaching a Noise Abatement Notice – and was ordered to pay £2,975 in costs and a £100 victim surcharge.

In his defence, Ukpong told Willesden Magistrates’ Court that his life had been made a “living hell” by the sound of stomping feet from his upstairs neighbours.

After sentencing, Cabinet Member for environment, crime and community safety, Councillor Graham Henson, said:

“We all have to tolerate noises we don’t like, but there’s no excuse for this.

“We gave Mr Ukpong a chance to be quiet, but he continued to make trouble and now it’s cost him a lot of ‘green’.”

Neighbours who witnessed the music said the bass on Ukpong’s hi-fi equipment was so strong in their children’s bedrooms that they were forced to sleep in the living room.

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