Bob Marley ‘Noise’ Gets London Woman Evicted And Threatened With Prison Time


Bob Marley music was blasted so loud it drowned out the sound of a nearby highway and caused a woman to be evicted from her home of 20 years.

Chrissie Holyoak, 54, was so into songs by Bob Marley, Barry White, and James Brown that she practically destroyed her neighbors’ peace of mind.

According to the Sunday Express, Holyoak lived in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, and enjoyed playing music by Bob Marley and others while she exercised in her garden. She claimed Marley and others’ music was a “part of her culture” and essential “therapy.”

Chrissie Holyoak
Holyoak should have used headphones when blasting Bob Marley to avoid trouble.

An Epping Forest District Council environment inspector claimed music from Bob Marley and others was “audible over the noise from the nearby M11” just over a mile away from Holyoak’s home.

Neighbors complained the music was non-stop and overbearing. One man said he had to sleep at his mother’s home over 10 miles away just to escape the exceptionally loud sounds of Bob Marley and James Brown.

“I like James Brown and Bob Marley as much as the next person, but not every minute of every hour of every day.”

The court decided Holyoak would receive a suspended jail sentence last July. She was warned if she continued to create musical disturbances, she would be jailed immediately.

Court recorder Timothy Ashe QC told Holyoak she was lucky to escape prison.

“Your behavior has been quite extraordinary… The element that makes this very serious is the total flouting of noise abatement notices and anti-social behavior orders… You have narrowly got away with prison… I do warn you that you will end up in prison if you continue to do this.”

The lover of loud Bob Marley music was evicted out of her home instead, when it was repossessed by the local authorities for repeated offenses and breaching the noise ordinance.

Neighbors, who described Holyoak as “the neighbor from hell”, were happy they would not have to hear Bob Marley, James Brown, or any other musician for hours on end. A neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, agreed with the council’s decision to evict Holyoak.

“The council made the right decision – I could not be more grateful, it had gone too far.”

Epping Forest District Council officer Tom Carne said, “We don’t like to take people to court and we always try more gentle persuasion first but if they continue to ignore council requests and flout sanctions placed on them, as in this case, we will take every action available to us.”

Perhaps the evicted woman will opt for headphones the next time she wants to blast the music of Bob Marley, Barry White, or other musicians for her exercising and therapy sessions at her new home.

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