Man jailed 15 months for disturbing neighbours with loud music day and night for 5 years

In the interesting case in which a court in Mataró (Barcelona), Spain pronounced a judgement recently, it was established that the man deliberately subjected his neighbours to what some reports referred to as musical terrorism for five years nonstop. He was accused of playing music day and night between 2012 and 2017, and not even pleas by the neighbours and warnings by police could deter him.

Reports say three neighbours who resided in a house connected to that of the defendant filed a complaint against him in 2015 after putting up with nearly three years of loud music. They alleged that the nonstop thumping music was harming them mentally and physically and their pre-existing medical conditions worsened.

It is reported that measurements of sound throughout the five years of audio terror revealed that the electronic music was far louder than the legal limit of 35 decibels, exceeding 57 decibels during the day and evening and 56 decibels at night. The music was reportedly so loud that nearby residents' belongings were frequently trembling.

Having heard various testimonies from the defendant’s neighbours and a police officer, the court slapped him with a prison term of one year and three months. In addition, he must pay a fine of 2,160 euros ($2,417) and 18,000 euros ($20,000) in damages to his neighbours and those who were inconvenienced by his excessive noise.

“The persistence of his attitude suggests that the defendant was aware that his conduct could affect the mental stability of any neighbour because even with minimal social skills one cannot but be aware of it,” the judge is quoted to have said.

As if the custodial sentence and the hefty fines were not punitive enough, the court went further to ban the defendant from engaging in any activity connected with electronic music.