A Westbury DJ who needed to practice his record-playing skills has been fined £750 for rehearsing them too loudly.

Ben Casey of Meadow Close, Westbury, was also ordered to pay £400 costs when he pleaded guilty at Salisbury Magistrates Court to nine breaches of a noise abatement notice.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “Mr Casey had previously been served with the noise abatement notices by Wiltshire Council public protection officers after subjecting neighbours to long periods of music at excessive noise levels during lockdown periods.

"Notices allow the restriction or prohibition of actions giving rise to noise that causes a statutory nuisance.

“After issuing the notices, officers had worked with Mr Casey to agree periods where he was able to practice his DJ skills at an agreed noise level for an appropriate length of time, however he breached this on a number of occasions leading to the court date being deemed necessary.”

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, the council’s cabinet member for public protection, added: “We receive around 3,000 noise complaints each year, ranging from loud music and noisy parties to DIY or construction site noise.

“Our officers had visited and tried to work with Mr Casey, giving him advice to enable him to practice without adversely impacting on his neighbours, but he continually breached the agreements that had been put in place.

“Living next door to someone who clearly has no qualms about the amount of noise they make can really cause distress and frustration.

“Prosecution is always used as a last resort but was deemed necessary in this case to prevent any further breaches. I would like to thank the officers involved for their work in this case.”