These speakers blasted out ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ over and over again… until council stepped in

Imagine these speakers blasting out Sweet Home Alabama and Smack My Bitch Up over and over again.

Now imagine you lived next door to the owner…

That’s what the poor neighbours of Sean Harman had to put up with – until the council stepped in and saved them, seizing the offending stereo equipment.

York Magistrates’ Court heard that Harman, 37, of Bishophill Junior, used a CD player hooked up to these speakers to play music so loud it caused a neighbour’s floor to vibrate.

On Wednesday (July 27) he was convicted in his absence of breaching an abatement notice on May 21, 2016.

Cracking down on nuisance neighbours

The breach was witnessed by City of York Council noise patrol officers from a neighbouring home, where Sweet Home Alabama was among the over-loud songs repeatedly disturbing locals.

As a result, the CD player used was seized from Harman’s home on May 24 by council community safety hub officers, with support from North Yorkshire Police.

Their actions took place during Noise Action Week.

Magistrates fined Harman £660, ordered him to pay costs of £760 and to pay a victim surcharge of £66 – a total of £1,486.

Council leader and executive member for housing and safer neighbourhoods Cllr David Carr said: “When investigating noise nuisance from domestic or commercial premises, our officers can serve an abatement notice.

“If breached – and as this prosecution demonstrates – we can take legal action which can result in fines and forfeiture of the equipment seized.”