Woman, 87, taken to court for noise

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GOSPORT, England, April 10 (UPI) -- The daughter of an 87-year-old British woman taken to court for playing her radio loudly and banging on the wall says her mother needed medical help.

Bev Batten, 58, said her mother, Georgia Sims, 87, would repeatedly play her radio loudly and bang on the wall of her Gosport, England, home with her walking stick because her tinnitus was causing her to hear noises and she was having a psychological breakdown as a result, the Portsmouth News reported Tuesday.

Sims was served with a noise abatement notice by Gosport Borough Council in August 2010 and was served with an interim anti-social behavior order in October of last year. The council dropped its application for a full ASBO when Sims admitted to two counts of failing to abide by the noise abatement order and moved out of her home.

Sims was given a six-month conditional discharge and fined $791.

"It was obvious she needed help," Batten said. "She didn't need an ASBO. I've got to say mum didn't make it easy, but I don't think taking her to court was the best thing to do. She was genuinely hearing noises -- she didn't have a vendetta against the neighbors."