W2C-006 Belfast Telegraph 5-5.txt
Top volume Whitney gets fan jail

Whitney Houston was the weapon in a war of noise waged by a Teesside woman against her neighbour, a court has heard.

Floorboards vibrated and door handles shook as the star's hit song I Will Always Love You blasted out from Helen Stephen's home, Teesside County Court was told.

On one occasion workmen using a sledgehammer across the street warbled along with the star after hearing Helen's tape.

Next door neighbour Susan Hanley told Judge Peter Fox QC the noise was like "a psychological form of torture".

Helen (20) was yesterday locked up for seven days for what the judge described as a "nasty campaign of noise and harassment".

Complaints

Helen's tearful mother Anne Stephens said today: "Whether you believe it or anyone else believes it my daughter is innocent and she's been sent to prison for a week for something she hasn't done."

Mrs Stephens, who is considering appealing against the ruling, added: "Helen is a nice quiet girl and she wouldn't do anything like this."

Referring to complaining neighbours the Hanleys she said: "I just don't know how they can sleep at night next door because I couldn't, knowing that I 'd done that to someone."

Judge Fox told Helen she had "attacked" her next door neighbours with loud and repeated playings of Whitney's hit song from the film The Bodyguard.

Helen, of Moulton Grove, Fairfield, Stockton, burst into tears and had to be supported by relatives after being told she was going to a young offenders institution.

Last night court bailiffs took Helen by taxi to Low Newton Remand Centre to start her sentence.

After the case distraught Mrs Stephens, who was herself fined £ 200, condemned neighbour Mrs Hanley. She said: "I hope that woman next door sleeps soundly in her bed tonight because my daughter won't."

A stunned Mrs Hanley said as she left court: "We never wanted anybody to go to prison over this." And Mr Hanley said: "All I wanted to do was to protect my family. This was a deliberate campaign against us."
