Caroline and Steve Cartwright's love making was described as "murder" and "unnatural" at Newcastle Crown Court. Mrs Cartwright, 48, from Washington, is appealing against a conviction for breaching a noise abatement notice against the couple.
Next door neighbour Rachel O'Connor told the court she was frequently late for work because she overslept having been awake most of the night because of the noise. She said: "It is not very pleasant living there and it has been quite stressful. The noise sounds like they are both in considerable pain. I cannot describe the noise. I have never ever heard anything like it." Specialist equipment installed in Miss O'Connor's flat by Sunderland City Council recorded noise levels of between 30 to 40 decibels, with the highest being 47 decibels.
Giving evidence, unemployed Mrs Cartwright said she was unable to control the noise she made during sex. She said: "After I got the Noise Abatement Notice I tried to control it. I even tried to use a pillow (over her face) to try and lessen the noise. I did not understand why people asked me to be quiet because to me it is normal. I didn't understand where they were coming from."
Recorder Jeremy Freedman, sitting with two magistrates, rejected her claim that she could not help making the loud noise during sex. He said: "We are in no doubt whatsoever about the level of noise that can be heard in neighbouring properties, in the street and in the back lane.
"It certainly was intrusive and constituted a statutory nuisance. It was clearly of a very disturbing nature and it was also compounded by the duration - this was not a one-off, it went on for hours at a time. It is further compounded by the frequency of the episode, virtually every night." Mrs Cartwright has since been accused of three counts of breaching the Asbo, but has denied the charges and will stand trial at Newcastle Crown Court on 14 December.
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