Caroline Cartwright was found guilty of breaching a noise abatement notice served on her after 25 complaints to police about her sessions with husband Steve.One partially deaf neighbour claimed she had not enjoyed a decent night's sleep for two years because of the Cartwrights' activities while another said she was forced to move out because of the noise.After a series of complaints, the local council's environmental health department placed recording equipment in the flat next door to the couple's house in Hall Road, Concord, Washington, Tyne and Wear, to build a case against them.
In the subsequent 23 recordings that were made – through a soundproofed wall – and played to Sunderland magistrates, the sound of slapping and screaming was clearly audible.Neighbour Rachel O'Connor made the recordings by pressing a button on the machine every time she heard noise next door.She said: "I heard sounds of a sexual nature, they were really loud, and there was a lot of moaning and groaning and screaming as if in pain.
"It wasn't just the woman, it came from both parties."Ms O'Connor told the court that when she first moved into Hall Road, in November 2007, the noise started at midnight and lasted until 3am.Now, she said, the noise started at about 6.30am and lasted until 9am.
Anne Dimmock, who runs a domestic care agency, Choice Care, from the flat below, said she had been forced to conduct business meetings in the kitchen to avoid embarrassing clients.Her business partner Melanie Smith used to live in the flat with her newborn baby but told the court she moved out because she "just couldn't take it any more".She said: "I started hearing a disturbing noise about February to March 2006.
"I contacted next door to say I could hear very loud noises and I had a little boy and it was waking him up."She said she would move the bed from the wall and keep it down, but it got really bad about March time which is when I left."Mrs Cartwright, 47, was found guilty of breaching a noise abatement notice served on her after a total of25 complaints to police.
She denied the latest five charges, telling the court: "I am not making the noise on purpose. I have no desire to hurt anybody or damage any property."However, she was convicted after magistrates listened to the recordings, and fined £200 with £300 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
UK
In the subsequent 23 recordings that were made – through a soundproofed wall – and played to Sunderland magistrates, the sound of slapping and screaming was clearly audible.Neighbour Rachel O'Connor made the recordings by pressing a button on the machine every time she heard noise next door.She said: "I heard sounds of a sexual nature, they were really loud, and there was a lot of moaning and groaning and screaming as if in pain.
"It wasn't just the woman, it came from both parties."Ms O'Connor told the court that when she first moved into Hall Road, in November 2007, the noise started at midnight and lasted until 3am.Now, she said, the noise started at about 6.30am and lasted until 9am.
Anne Dimmock, who runs a domestic care agency, Choice Care, from the flat below, said she had been forced to conduct business meetings in the kitchen to avoid embarrassing clients.Her business partner Melanie Smith used to live in the flat with her newborn baby but told the court she moved out because she "just couldn't take it any more".She said: "I started hearing a disturbing noise about February to March 2006.
"I contacted next door to say I could hear very loud noises and I had a little boy and it was waking him up."She said she would move the bed from the wall and keep it down, but it got really bad about March time which is when I left."Mrs Cartwright, 47, was found guilty of breaching a noise abatement notice served on her after a total of25 complaints to police.
She denied the latest five charges, telling the court: "I am not making the noise on purpose. I have no desire to hurt anybody or damage any property."However, she was convicted after magistrates listened to the recordings, and fined £200 with £300 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
UK
