Teenager fined pounds 12,500 for playing music loudly

A TEENAGE mother who played music loudly in her flat at all hours was fined pounds 12,500 yesterday.

Dianne Welfare, 18, played records so loud neighbours could not hear their own television sets above the noise, Leicester magistrates were told. She also played Radio 1 at full volume - sometimes at 1.30am when neighbours could make out what the disc jockeys were saying.

Leicester City Council's noise nuisance team served a noise abatement notice on Welfare at her flat in Beaumont Leys, in February, but on 10 subsequent visits found she was still playing loud music. At an earlier hearing, she was found guilty on 10 charges of causing a noise nuisance.

Welfare, who is unemployed and has a 15-month-old son, failed to attend court yesterday, but said later that she could not pay the fine. 'This just seems like a joke to me,' she said.