at Magistrates' Court.

Flame-haired Scottish visitor Heidi Crawford argued with senior magistrate the Wor. Will Francis after the court heard she hosted an outside birthday party where noisy music could still be heard at 1.40 a.m.

Insp. Peter Duffy, prosecuting, said the marquee party on June 5 at Rebecca Road, Southampton, was visited by Police three times after complaints of noise from a stereo system on the porch. The first complaint was just after 11 p.m., the second at 1 a.m., and the final one at 1.40, after which the music was shut off.

On the final occasion the music could be clearly heard from the complaining neighbour's home, 150 metres away, said Insp. Duffy.

Crawford, 48, admitted allowing unreasonable noise to be made. But she told Mr. Francis: "We were playing music but I didn't consider it to be very loud, and when the Police came it was turned down. The person who complained even complains when neighbours have a barbecue.

"You can't seem to have an argument in the house without him calling the Police. I was inside the house and the music didn't seem loud.'' Mr. Francis said that at 1.40 a.m. most people liked to sleep, but Crawford replied: "It was at the weekend. Back home, where I come from, if people have a birthday party or something in their house they're allowed to.'' Mr. Francis told her: "It was a residential area and the music kept being turned on after the Police had left. If you wanted to sleep wouldn't you have been annoyed? You were warned.'' Fining her $250, he added: "I think I'm being very tolerant.''