Noisy Worthing Neighbour Must Pay Thousands After Council Action

A noisy neighbour who made a resident's life so miserable she had to move out of her home has been ordered to pay a four-figure amount in compensation, costs and a fine, after a prosecution by Worthing Borough Council.

Local authority officials said Nicholas Hall, of Mill Road, Worthing, also had his music and television equipment confiscated after Brighton magistrates heard his neighbour endured the noise for a long time.

Hall was ordered to pay £1,500 compensation to his neighbour and a similar sum to pay for the costs of the Council's Environmental Protection Team's action against him.

He was also fined £400 and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge.
 
The Team made several informal approaches to Hall asking him to reduce the noise.

Additionally, a Noise Abatement Notice was served.

However after Hall repeatedly ignored the warnings and the formal notice, council officers gained a warrant.

So it was that, with police assistance and fully Covid protected, local authority officials entered the premises during lockdown, to take away the equipment used to cause the noise nuisance.
 
A prosecution was then brought because it was feared Hall would repeat his behaviour if the equipment was returned to him.

He pleaded guilty to four offences of breaching an Abatement Notice.
 
Worthing Borough Council's Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Val Turner, said,

"I want to thank the Environmental Protection Team for their excellent work on this case.
 
"The impact this kind of behaviour can have on the health and wellbeing of neighbours cannot be overstated.

"In this case the lady in question had to move out for a while, so loud was the noise coming from next door at all times and day and night.
 
"I hope this strong action sends out a message that this Council will not tolerate anti-social behaviour like this and will use all its powers to ensure residents respect each other's right to live peacefully in their homes."