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The court heard that the defendant’s father passed away that morning and he had not slept

A 62-year-old man has been given a community order after smashing a TV and window inside a neighbour’s caravan at Billing Aquadrome for playing his music too loud.

Kevan Harris, of Kingfisher Retreat, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday, February 28 after pleading guilty to burglary with intent to cause damage.

On the morning of September 5 in 2022, Harris made his way back to his caravan in Billing Aquadrome from the hospital following the death of his father. Having had no sleep, Harris went to work and returned that afternoon.

Kevan Harris broke into his neighbour's property with a hammer and smashed up his TV in Billing Aquadrome because his music was "too loud," the court heard.

The court heard that his neighbour was outside at this time playing loud music and, when Harris asked him to turn it down, he refused and shouted back abusive comments.

Diana Wilson, prosecuting, said Harris then entered his neighbour’s caravan with a hammer, smashing a window and a television.

In a statement, Harris told police that he was drunk at the time and suffered from stress as well as lack of sleep.

He additionally claimed that this was not the first altercation he had with that particular neighbour, alleging that the neighbour had previously exposed himself, urinated in his garden, brought drugs into the caravan park and blasted loud music through the night.

The neighbour, in a statement, said that - due to the anxiety of being inside his caravan since the incident - he has had to stay with his mother. He said he is “terrified” of what Harris is capable of, having done this for “no real reason.”

Oliver Small, in mitigation, said: “This is a very sad case for the defendant because it involves the loss of his father, the loss of his holiday home and the loss of his good character.”

The defence barrister described the offence as “impulsive,” stating: “He was in the caravan for a matter of seconds.”

His Honour Judge David Herbert KC, sentencing, said: “You have led a perfectly decent life. This was - in every sense, therefore - out of character.”

Harris was sentenced to a 12 month community order with an electronically monitored curfew for four months.

He was ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the victim and a restraining order was imposed for three years.

Man smashes neighbour’s TV and window in Billing Aquadrome because music was ‘too loud’