Noisy neighbour who ‘lost everything’ vows to turn his life around

0 Comments | Uttoxeter Post & Times, Jul 9, 2010

A Man described as a “neighbour from hell” after playing loud music into the early hours of the morning breathed a sigh of relief as magistrates gave him a “final chance”.

Jody Goodwin spoke to the Post & Times after he was spared a jail sentence.

He stood before magistrates on Monday and thanked them when they gave their verdict.

The 28-year-old, who is now living in Silver Street, Uttoxeter, admitted harassing his neighbours at his former property in Burton Terrace, by persistently playing loud music within their hearing.

Goodwin said: “I went through a very bad period in my life but I am deeply sorry for what I have done.

“I lost everything. I was a broken man.”

Goodwin said he was now piecing together his life and had started a new job at JCB’s Rocester headquarters.

He added: “I lost the house that I worked so hard for, I lost my three-year-old daughter and went through a break-up with my girlfriend.

“I find it difficult to cope with emotions.

“I have messed up in the past but want to move on.

“I know how close I was to going to jail and I am a totally different person now than I was then.”

The offences happened between October 1 last year and February 27 this year.

Andrew Bodger, prosecuting, told the court: “Goodwin caused distress to his neighbours who suffered with sleepless nights over a long period of time, causing their quality of life to deteriorate.”

The court also heard how Goodwin received a number of letters from the Environmental Health and later he was handed a harassment notice.

Goodwin, who threw the letters in the bin, was also visited by various police officers over a four-month period.

Mr Bodger said Goodwin had a number of previous convictions including battery and breach of a community order.

Defending himself, Goodwin told magistrates he had messed up in the past and on a number of occasions had spoken to his neighbours living on either side of him to ask if it would be OK to play music.

Admitting he had taken an instant dislike to his neighbour David Cartlidge, who has lived in Burton Terrace for more than 20 years, Goodwin added: “The whole thing has got out of hand.

“I am not saying I have not played loud music but I can only recall one occasion where it was played into the middle of the night.”

Magistrates handed Goodwin a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was also told to do 140 hours of unpaid work.

This will run concurrently with Goodwin’s 10-month com

munity order which he received in October last year after he intentionally exposed himself to his neighbour.

Magistrates told Goodwin: “You deliberately played loud music which caused distress to your neighbours.

“You have come so close to custody today but we are giving you a final chance. The court has helped you and now you must co- operate.”