North Derbyshire man deprived of sleep by neighbours’ music smashed up fence

Wayne Clarkson, 49, damaged two five-foot panels and “completely smashed” two six-foot gates after “something broke within him”, Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard.

Clarkson was so lacking in sleep he was forced to close his van-driving business, the court heard.

His solicitor reeled off a list of occasions when the exasperated householder was kept awake between midnight and 8am while the people next door partied and “smoked drugs”.

Prosecutor Becky Allsop described how on June 9 a resident on South Normanton’s South Street saw Clarkson “waving” a metal bar around and pointing at the offending property.

She said: “He was shouting at neighbours, saying he was sick and tired of the occupants keeping him awake from midnight until 8am making noise.

“During a police interview he said there had been issues with music all hours of the morning and smoking drugs.”

Mark Wright, Clarkson’s solicitor, said his client, of previous good character, was now unemployed but had previously run a van driving business which he lost “because he couldn’t sleep”.

He said: “He didn’t feel safe driving anymore and has been living off his savings – he comes across as normal but he didn’t behave normally on this occasion.

“There are five-six people living next door and the habit has been to play loud music throughout the night - I cannot imagine what it must have been like.

“On this occasion there was no music but it was getting towards the time when he was anticipating it would start.

“Something just broke within him - he was frustrated and didn’t know where to turn.”

Clarkson, of South Street, admitted criminal damage.

He was fined £40 and made to pay £150 compensation, £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

A magistrate told him: “We do appreciate the situation you were in - there’s nothing worse than loud music at all hours.

“We have a degree of sympathy and you are of previous good character.”

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