Threat of jail for woman who shouted at her husband

A woman has been given an Anti-Social Behaviour Order after she repeatedly kept her neighbours awake at night by shouting at her husband.

Julie Griffiths, 43, was warned she could face jail if she breaks the order, which prohibits her from engaging in behaviour which causes or is likely to cause a nuisance, disturbance, harassment or alarm to her neighbours.

It comes after prosecutors at Stoke-on-Trent Magistrates Court said a noise abatement notice was breached 47 times over the course of three months this year.

Environmental health officers had installed monitoring equipment in a neighbour's home in July.

Mrs Griffiths pleaded guilty on Wednesday for failing to comply with the terms of the notice. She was fined £500 and told to pay £250 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Steve Lee, working for the defence, said Mrs Griffiths sometimes had to "let of steam" to her husband of 23 years after working long shifts at work.

Lisa Hall, prosecuting for the Borough Council, said it was "by far the worst" noise case an environmental health officer had ever had to deal with.

Neighbours said yesterday that living next door to Mrs Griffiths had "been hell".