Published on November 10, 2009, 11:10 am
Opinion
Criminals have been criticised for seeking protection under the Human Rights Act, but the couple who tried to use it to justify disturbing their neighbours by noisily grunting at up to 47 decibels during lovemaking sessions takes the biscuit.

The jobless, middle- aged couple - Caroline and Steve Cartwright, were hit with a noise abatement order and Asbo after causing their neighbours sleepless nights with their noisy sex sessions which lasted around three hours every single night, from midnight.

But it wasn't only neighbours that they tortured with their howling - the postman and a woman passing by the house with her child also complained about the "unnatural" noise which apparently sounded like someone being murdered.

Jokes aside, I can't imagine what made this couple think that they have a fundamental human right to grunt at 47 decibels during lovemaking. Article 8 affords individuals the right to "respect for privacy and family life."

But you don't need to be a rocket scientist to deduce that the Cartwrights abandoned any respect for their own privacy by making their lovemaking so public through the amount of noise they made. It is they who denied their neighbours the right to privacy in their homes with their families.

The judge at Newcastle Crown Court was right to uphold the conviction and Asbo. If the Cartwright's want to howl to their hearts content they should save up for a detached house and install soundproofing so that their neighbours are left in peace.

I'm sure they could both secure jobs in the porno industry where they can direct their noisy lovemaking sessions to the type of audiences that might appreciate their vocal talents.