Nuisance neighbour fined after refusing to stop playing James Blunt songs from Plymouth home

A man has been ordered to pay over £1,400 after making his neighbours' lives "a misery" by playing loud music from his home in Plymouth.

The music - which regularly included James Blunt songs - Mark Carey played from his home disrupted sleep and caused stress, fatigue and anxiety to his neighbours, a court has heard.

The case was heard at Plymouth Magistrates Court in his absence on Monday 15 November.

The court was also told neighbours of the property in Lowerside, Ham, would receive abuse when they challenged the 49-year-old about the noise.

After several complaints to Plymouth City Council, Carey was given a Community Protection Notice in October 2020 having ignored three previous letters warning him about his noise levels.

The notice required he "must not cause or act in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress" to any person by way of causing noise which included the playing of music.

Despite this, the court heard the noise continued on three occasions between 25 July and 4 August 2021.

Carey’s neighbours took audio recordings of the music being played at "unacceptable levels" into the night.

When Environmental Health officers reviewed the recordings - in which the lyrics to 'Timber' by Pitbull ft Ke$ha can also be heard - they issued him with a fixed penalty notice for £100.

Carey failed to pay the £100 and the noise continued on four more occasions before 4 September 2021. This time, audio recordings featured 'Fix You' by Coldplay while James Blunt's 2004 hit 'You're Beautiful' was identifiable.

As a result, Environmental Health Officers obtained a warrant and seized three TVs, speakers and other music equipment from Carey's house.

Magistrates found Carey guilty of breaching a Community Protection Notice and fined him £660. They also ordered him to pay costs of £699.70 and a £66 victim surcharge.

They also ordered the permanent forfeiture of the previously seized equipment.

Councillor John Riley, Cabinet member for Community Safety, said: "Everyone has the right to live quietly in their own home, which is why we will not hesitate to bring prosecutions against people who try and take that right away from their neighbours.

"I hope now that the defendant’s neighbours will finally have some peace."