Havering Council seizes DJ equipment as court hands noisy Romford neighbour £3,000 bill

A persistent noisy neighbour must pay more than £3,000 after causing a street’s residents eight years of sleepless nights.

Havering Council said Joszef Zerkula, of Oak Street, Romford, was fined £1,200 and ordered to pay £1,752.90 costs, a £120 victim surcharge and £150 compensation following a string of disturbances dating back to 2005.

Complaints from neighbours that Zerkula was blaring out “extremely loud” bass-heavy garage music culminated in a police and council raid in September last year, during which his speakers, amplifier and keyboards were seized.

But the noise continued – so Havering Council took Zerkula to court under the Environmental Protection Act.

Zerkula, who pleaded not guilty to breaching his abatement notice at his first court appearance, did not turn up to any subsequent hearings, and was found guilty in his absence.

The sentence was then dished out at Romford Magistrates’ Court last Friday.

His seized equipment will now be given to a youth centre or similar project, though the council hasn’t yet decided which.

In similar cases in recent years, the council has seized two dogs, a skateboard ramp and a plug from a “very large” amplifier in the name of public protection, which includes stopping noise pollution.

Havering’s public protection boss Cllr Lesley Kelly said: “We take a dim view of those who continue to disturb their neighbours after numerous warnings from the council.

“In this case, it was the natural step to push for, and then get, the toughest reprimand we could to drive home the message that we do not tolerate those who flout the rules.”