A NEIGHBOUR was plagued by loud dance music from a flat two floors away in one of the worst noise nuisance cases investigated by a council officer, a court heard.

Plymouth magistrates found Patrick McShane, aged 28, guilty in his absence of four breaches of an order to turn down the bass-heavy music played at his Devonport home.

McShane was told to appear at court for failing to comply with an abatement notice on four days in May last year. But he did not attend.

The court was told on one occasion the woman two floors below his flat in Granby Street was forced to sleep at a friend's house because of the loud music.

He already has one conviction for failing to comply with the same abatement notice, issued back in April 2010.

Sharon Day, prosecuting for Plymouth City Council, said the neighbour who lived on the ground floor first complained about the loud music coming from the plasterer's flat in January 2010.

She added the complaints continued into March and April, when monitoring equipment was installed in the woman's flat.

Mrs Day said: "Given that the complainant was two floors below the source of the music, the environmental health officer found it was one of the worst cases she had dealt with.

"It was impossible to have a conversation, read a book or watch television."

The court heard that McShane was issued with an abatement notice and later given a conditional discharge for breaching it.

Mrs Day said the neighbour called officers back to the flat in May of last year.

She added that the council recorded what was regarded as loud thumping trance or drum and bass music at different times on four days.

Mrs Day said that on one night the woman left the flat to stay at a friend's house because her granddaughter could not sleep.

The court heard that McShane has previous convictions for assault, driving while disqualified and fraud.

The council case was delayed while he served a prison sentence.

Magistrates adjourned the case until February 20, when McShane will be asked to attend.