Rowdy Mansfield Woodhouse man who threw loud lockdown parties spared jail

Complaints against Nigel Leggett began in March 2020 when he started hosting parties and playing loud music at his Mansfield District Council-owned property on Park Avenue during the first national lockdown.

His behaviour led to police attending his house when an altercation broke out at one party – while a neighbour was forced to sell his home and move away from the area, Derby County Court was told.

Leggett appeared before the court on April 30 when he was given a suspended prison sentence for breaching an injunction granted to the council after it received numerous complaints.

He admitted breaches of the injunction, found in Contempt of Court and sentenced to an 18-week prison sentence – suspended for the remaining term of the injunction until September 29.

The council had been granted an interim injunction at Mansfield County Court in September preventing Leggett from engaging in or encouraging conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance, including the playing of loud music.

On November 16, the injunction was extended to a full order lasting until September.

The court was told the full injunction was granted following incidents of nuisance behaviour, including loud music, singing, shouting, swearing, stomping and violence recorded and evidenced by a neighbour.

There had been a total of 118 recordings since the interim injunction was granted – and there would have been more incidents recorded if the neighbour had not vacated his home for lengthy periods for peace and respite. He has since sold his home and left the area.

The council’s housing anti-social behaviour team issued Leggett with a Community Protection Warning, Community Protection Notice and Notice of Seeking Possession.

“This tenant caused months and months of misery for his neighbours,” said Jill Finnesey, the council's head of housing.

“Council homes are in such high demand and there is no shortage of people waiting and willing to take the place of a tenant who shows such disrespect towards their own community.

“Anti-social behaviour and noise nuisance are problems that the council takes very seriously, tenants who engage in this behaviour breach their tenancy agreement and could face losing their homes.”

The council has now begun the eviction process against Leggett.

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