THE first person to be evicted by Halton Housing Trust based on evidence gathered from noise monitoring equipment has been sentenced at court for breaching noise abatement notices.
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Sally Johnson was evicted from the property in Clapgate Crescent, Widnes, following complaints from neighbours about loud parties.
The parties started soon after the 19-year-old moved in and would go on until the early hours of the morning.
Halton Housing Trust installed the noise monitoring equipment into a neighbouring property and based on the evidence it gathered, a noise abatement order was served in conjunction with Halton Borough Council.
A court order was also made to seize a stereo and television.
The starter tenancy was extended by six months and the customer signed up to an acceptable behaviour contract in efforts to avoid eviction.
However, when her behaviour did not improve she was eventually evicted on 9th October.
On Monday, February 13, Miss Johnson failed to appear at Halton Magistrates Court. She was found guilty in her absence of two breaches of a noise abatement notice and ordered to pay a fine of £165 and costs of £261.
More than one third of the anti-social behaviour complaints received by the Trust are related to noise.
The Trust purchased the noise monitoring equipment earlier this year in conjunction with the Safer Halton Partnership’s Community Safety Team.
“This equipment has enabled us to gather the necessary evidence to take action against those who are engaging in anti-social behaviour and disrupting the lives of their neighbours,” said Alf Bean, Anti-Social Behaviour Officer with the Trust.
The equipment consists of a box small enough to fit in a rucksack that measures sound levels.
It is placed in a neighbouring property and measures how much sound levels increase above the normal level inside that home and whether that constitutes a nuisance.
The equipment is padlocked inside the box so it cannot be tampered with.
“We will always give a customer every opportunity to improve their behaviour but if they continue to cause a nuisance we will not hesitate to act,” said Noel Sharpe, Executive Director of Customer Service at the Trust.
“All our customers and neighbouring residents are entitled to a peaceful home and we will take action against anyone who doesn’t respect that.”
“This is an excellent example of partners working together to resolve anti-social behaviour in our communities,” said Mike Andrews, Community Safety Manager at Safer Halton Partnership.
“By working together with residents and taking a consistent approach it makes it very clear to those people who commit crime and ASB that it will not be tolerated in Halton.”
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