Wife from hell spared jail for breaching ASBO that was given to her for nagging her husband so loudly it kept her neighbours awake

• Julie Griffiths breached order by 'swearing' loudly at spouse Norman
• The angry wife was first ordered to be quiet by the council in 1999
• Griffiths blamed stress of long shifts at work forcing her to let off steam
• She faced up to 5 years in jail but received conditional discharge and fine
  

By Martin Robinson

Published: 06:52 EDT, 13 September 2013 | Updated: 10:27 EDT, 13 September 2013

ASBO breach: Noisy Julie Griffiths outside her home where she shouted at her husband Norman so much it has kept neighbours awake for years

A wife-from-hell given an ASBO because she kept neighbours awake for three years by nagging her husband has breached it after she failed to control her temper.

Julie Griffiths is still disturbing her street with shouting, swearing and slamming doors while berating her long-suffering spouse Norman, 63, a court heard.

The 43-year-old received a five-year ASBO in December last year for disturbing residents near her home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

Neighbours hoped a court order to keep Mrs Griffiths quiet would work, but they have been forced to complain again.

She was hauled before the courts yesterday because she was still going berserk at her husband and she claimed she didn't realise the ASBO meant she had to calm down.

Griffiths said she had not understood the conditions of the ASBO and pleaded guilty at North Staffordshire Justice Centre to breaching the order between April 18 and August 27 this year.

Despite previously being fined £750 and warned she faced up to five years in jail if she breached the order Griffiths escaped a prison sentence.

Magistrates instead imposed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay just £85 costs.

The court heard some of the latest incidents had been recorded on special noise equipment installed in residents' homes by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

Prosecutor Clair Moss told the court: 'There have been a number of complaints about the defendant in her property.

'The majority relate to shouting and swearing in her house, also slamming doors, banging and such like.

'The incidents have become more frequent and generally take place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

'The incidents mostly take place in the daytime.'

Noisy neighbour: Griffiths berates her spouse at home (centre) so loudly that neighbours have been complaining since 1999

Defending, Alan Dawson admitted Griffiths regularly argued with her husband but she had not intended to disturb her neighbours.

He said: 'Clearly arguments take place and are overheard by neighbours.

'They are in the main during the day, with just one incident in the early evening.

'This is not related to drink, she works long shifts. She argues with her husband.

'I don't think there is any intent to cause problems to neighbours.'

Speaking after the hearing, councillors from Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council branded Griffiths' behaviour as 'dreadful'.

Cllr John Williams, cabinet member for stronger neighbourhoods, said: 'Ms Griffiths's neighbours continue to suffer from her dreadful behaviour despite the Anti-Social Behaviour Order but we will do all we can to see that action is taken to stop it happening in future.'

Hellish: Residents of this street in Stoke have previously spoken of just how noisy Mrs Griffiths is and how patient her husband Norman must be

Griffiths was first served with a noise abatement order in 1999 but was fined £500 when she breached it again in 2010.

Her behaviour persisted over the next two years and environmental health officers installed monitoring equipment in a neighbour's home in July last year.

Incredibly, Griffiths then breached the noise abatement order 47 times between July 4 and October 22, 2012.

Magistrates finally imposed the five-year ASBO in December after she pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the requirements of a noise abatement notice.