A NUISANCE neighbour who played loud music nearly every night for almost a year has been given an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO). Appearing before Harlow magistrates, Abigail Butcher from Saffron Walden pleaded guilty to three charges of breaching a n

A NUISANCE neighbour who played loud music nearly every night for almost a year has been given an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO).

Appearing before Harlow magistrates, Abigail Butcher from Saffron Walden pleaded guilty to three charges of breaching a noise abatement notice issued in February.

As well as the ASBO, Miss Butcher was landed with fines totaling �450 and ordered to pay �350 costs.

Anti-social behaviour coordinator for the Uttlesford crime and disorder reduction partnership, Fiona Gardiner, said: "We take the issue of noise very seriously and hope this case demonstrates to those who insist on acting in an anti social way towards their neighbours that they may find themselves having to answer before the courts.

"Residents have the right to enjoy peace in their own homes and our environmental health officers will not hesitate in investigating when they feel this right is being denied."

The ASBO was granted for an indefinite period and prevents Miss Butcher from playing, or allowing others to play, loud music from any property in which they reside.

She is also banned from using threatening, insulting or abusive words or behaviour towards any persons not of the same household, which includes members of the emergency services.

Uttlesford District Council first received a complaint of repeated loud music being played in September 2008. Environmental health officers wrote to Miss Butcher informing her that a complaint was being investigated and requesting she kept music to a reasonable level.

However, the problems persisted and at the beginning of this year noise monitoring equipment was used to establish the frequency of such occurrences.

Once that evidence was gathered, the council wrote to her again, advising her that it was seriously considering serving a noise abatement notice and asking for a response.

No response was received and the noise problems persisted, leaving Uttlesford District Council no choice but to issue a noise abatement notice on February 10.

Despite this, there were further reports of loud music being played from Miss Butcher's property and after the council recorded three breaches of the notice, it began legal proceedings.