Woman Banned From Owning TVs And Radios Over Eminem

A woman in the UK has been banned from owning a TV, stereo or radio for two years, after she repeatedly played music by Eminem so loud that it made her neighbors furniture vibrate across the floor. The Birmingham City Council made Sharon McLoughlin, 33, the first person in the city barred from owning any […]

A woman in the

UK has been banned from owning a TV, stereo or radio for two years, after she

repeatedly played music by Eminem so loud that it made her neighbors furniture

vibrate across the floor.

The Birmingham

City Council made Sharon McLoughlin, 33, the first person in the city barred

from owning any of the devices.

Mcloughlin, a mother

of three, played “Stan” and other songs at deafening levels, much

to the chagrin of her neighbors.

The issue was so

serious that environmental health staff measured the noise from a resident’s

flat above McLoughlin’s and found that the levels were about 65dB (decibels)

– the legal level a passing airplane is allowed to make.

The music was so

loud that officers in a neighboring flat couldn’t hold conversations with

each other, despite being less than 6 feet apart.

“My settee

[sofa] moves across the living room, my son’s cot moves across the floor

and the constant music has me permanently on edge,” a neighbor told officials.

“My GP prescribed me antidepressant tablets to cope.”

McLoughlin’s

flat was raided several times and each time, authorities seized thousands of

dollars worth of stereo equipment, televisions and CD’s.

McLoughlin simply

went out and bought more gear. In addition to the ban, she has been evicted

from her flat.

The issue was taken

serious because of the health problems associated with noise pollution.

In addition to

hearing loss, studies have shown that heart disease and high blood pressure

often occur in cases of long term exposure to noise levels above 65dB(decibels).