Noisy neighbour is ordered to pay £315

A mother of two who kept her neighbour awake with the noise blaring from her Wolverhampton flat has been taken to court and ordered to pay more than £300.

Emma Moylan had friends over to play poker when a neighbour complained to the city council about the racket on October 24, city magistrates were told.

The 28-year-old claimed the sound was coming from the television. It was not the first time Moylan, of Merrick Road in Wednesfield, had caused a disturbance and upset neighbours.

Moylan was given a noise abatement notice in September, 2008. She admitted to failing to comply with that notice at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court yesterday.

Mr Kevin Roberts, prosecuting for Wolverhampton City Council, told the court: "On October 24 at 12.45am, the council's out-of-hours officers received a complaint about the noise.

"Officers visited the premises at 2.45am and witnessed the noise coming from the property in Merrick Road.

"They executed a warrant and seized a subwoofer speaker, clock radio, basic boombox and surround sound speakers."

Moylan, who was not represented, told the court: "This is an ongoing personal matter with me and my neighbour.

"I had two friends over to play poker and it just went on. It was the TV.

"It did go on later than I planned it would go on.

"My mate also had stilettos on and I have a wooden floor so that may have been loud downstairs." Moylan, who receives income support, was told she must pay a £100 fine, £200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Chairman of the bench Keith Berry told her: "You need to heed this warning.

"You don't want debts like this hanging over your head."

Mr Berry also asked for the forfeiture and destruction of the electronic equipment belonging to Moylan which was seized by the council.

From April, 2009, to April, 2010, Wolverhampton City Council received 4,787 complaints from residents about noisy neighbours.

The majority were due to blaring televisions, loud radios, car horns and fireworks.

A further 320 noise nuisance complaints were directed to Wolverhampton Homes, the organisation responsible for 23,500 properties in the city.