The heir to the Longleat estate in Warminster has been fined £1,500 for keeping an elderly lady awake by playing his stereo too loud.

Ceawlin Thynn, whose title is Viscount Weymouth, flouted a noise ban by blasting his music from his apartment in Notting Hill, London, until 5.15am.

Thynn, 35, is the son of Alexander Thynn the 7th Marquess of Bath.

City of Westminster Magistrates' Court heard how his elderly neighbour, in her 80s, first called Westminster Council on May 17 last year.

A noise pollution officer arrived at the plush flat in Talbot Road, just before 2am.

Henrietta Paget, prosecuting, said: "He banged on the door for a considerable amount of time and in the end it was answered by Mr Thynn.

"He was advised about the reason why they had called and Mr Thynn agreed to turn down the music, but refused to turn it off."

On May 23, at 4am, another complaint was received and officers arrived 25 minutes later.

The council official waited outside listening to the din, which Thynn increased the volume of 15 minutes later.

This was followed by a loud bang - the sound of an antique printing machine crashing to the ground.

The inspector ruled the racket level was high enough to keep anyone nearby awake and branded it a 'severe nuisance'.

At around 5.15am they knocked on the door and Thynn was cautioned.

Colin Nott, defending, said Thynn had misjudged the volume because of 'partial deafness', caused in 1996 by a terrorist bomb blast in India, which killed his girlfriend and best friend.

He said: "The first incident was a social occasion, and he conceded it straight away.

"He was there on his own when the breach occurred, and he couldn't sleep so put on his music.

"He took the view it was being played at a reasonable level.

"The banging was an old-fashioned manual printer – he was trying to get some printing done in the early hours of the morning.

"What has he done to change the situation? He is receiving further treatment for his ear complaint and has changed his music equipment.

"He has also hung heavy, lined curtains at the windows."

Thynn, who grew up in Longleat House, was privately educated at Bedales School in Hampshire and now works as a property developer. He receives a £750 a week disposable income from his trustees.

Judge Mike Snow fined him £250, ordered him to pay £1,276 costs and a £15 'victim surcharge'.

He said: "This would have been extremely upsetting for this elderly lady, to be disturbed on two occasions, but since May 23 there has been no recurrence."

Thynn admitted failing to comply with an abatement notice by not taking 'all the necessary measures to reduce the volume of amplified music to a level where it does not cause nuisance in the nearest or any other occupied premises', an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which carries a maximum fine of £20,000.