Neighbour from hell who played The Laughing Policeman on LOOP fined £450 

An 82-year-old who blasted The Laughing Policeman song on repeat at 2am to annoy her neighbours for ‘blocking her sunlight’ has been fined £450. 

Stella Masson donned ear protectors and shoved speakers up against the wall to serenade the family living next door with the music hall classic first performed by Charles Jolly in the 1920s. 

The two-year campaign of harassment in Elrick, Aberdeen, began when Masson took offence over her neighbours’ van – which she claimed was blocking her sunlight.

Her actions even forced the family to build an extension to their home in an effort to escape the racket, which was regularly reverberating throughout their home, often until 2am, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

When police turned up at Masson’s home she freely admitted wearing ear plugs and playing music loudly to annoy the neighbours.

Her song of choice was The Laughing Policeman – with its annoying ‘ha ha ha ha’ chorus which, it is understood, she often played on repeat at full blast until the early hours.

Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson said the pensioner’s relationship with the family next door was initially amicable but broke down around summer 2014.

She said: ‘Between August 19 2016 and August 19 2018 the accused began playing music very loudly from her address. The music would be played at such a volume it could be heard throughout the complainers’ address.

‘The music was played at various times of the day and night at such volume as to make it uncomfortable for the complainers while within their home.

‘The accused also began banging on the wall adjoining the complainers’ property. This was in combination with the loud music.

‘This occurred at all hours including as late as 2am.’

Masson’s actions forced the family to build an extension in an effort to escape the racket, Aberdeen Sheriff Court (pictured) was told

Ms Simpson said the noise had the most impact on the neighbours’ teenage daughter as she tried to study for exams and got so bad that they even had to build an extension to their home.

Ms Simpson said: ‘The complainers constructed an extension to their property with the intention they would have a living space at the opposite side of the house to where the accused’s property was. They advise their original living room had become unusable due to the music and banging.

‘However the music and banging could still be heard from the new living room at the other side of the house.

Her song of choice was The Laughing Policeman – with its annoying ‘ha ha ha ha’ chorus

‘At the end of November 2017 when police attended the accused’s property in relation to loud music and banging police witnessed a set of ear defenders and ear plugs within the property. They also noticed the accused’s stereo speakers were pushed up against the adjoining wall and the volume was set to high.

‘Police asked her about this and she voluntarily stated she played music while wearing the ear defenders in an attempt to annoy her neighbours.’

Ms Simpson said Masson’s neighbours were left feeling alarmed and distressed and that her behaviour had a large impact on their wellbeing and quality of life.

Masson, who has since moved to Inverness, pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of conduct which caused her neighbours fear or alarm, repeatedly playing loud music, banging on walls and creating a disturbance.

Neil McRobert, defending, said: ‘It’s obviously tragic someone of that age is appearing in court and has a conviction for any matter.’

He added they had lived next to each other for years with no issues. But that changed when she took issue with the neighbours’ van being parked outside her house which was impacting on sunlight getting in.

Mr McRobert said: ‘It’s the accused’s position this is not a one-way street and she had been subjected to noise and banging and name calling and the like.’

Sheriff Morag McLaughlin fined Masson, of Inverness, £450.