Four young bachelors living in a house where a noisy quad bike was driven around the back garden and late-night parties were held were not consciously annoying their neighbours but had to understand such behaviour was not acceptable in an ordinary residential area, a judge said yesterday.
Judge Gerard Haughton was speaking after he found in favour of a taxi-man, Mr Brendan Caffrey, who had sought a noise abatement order against Mr John Bonner and his tenant Mr Tony Martin, both of whom live with two other tenants, Mr Paul Agnew and Mr Paul Daly at Littlepace Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin.
Dublin District Court heard Mr Caffrey had endured 18 months of parties, loud music and a 200cc quad bike being driven around the small back garden of Mr Bonner's home, a semi-detached where Mr Caffrey's house is the attached property.
Relations deteriorated and garda∅ had to be called on four occasions, but the music got louder and Mr Caffrey said he was verbally abused.
Mr Bonner admitted there had been two "major parties" where the noise was excessive but denied that music was played too loudly on other occasions.
Judge Haughton said he did not believe Mr Bonner acted in a deliberate and malicious fashion but he had to understand that living in a suburb with three other young bachelors was not the same as living in a block of flats with people of a similar age and tastes.
He adjourned the case until next May and said if the situation had not improved he would order that no music be played between 10.30 p.m. and 8 a.m. except for once a month when they could hold a party until 1 or 2 a.m.
He also adjourned until the same date separate summonses seeking that Mr Bonner and Mr Martin be bound to the peace arising out of remarks allegedly made following an earlier appearance in court in relation to the noise matter.