Home -> Law Blog Directory -> International Law Blogs -> prisonlawinsideout

International Law

: prisonlawinsideout

Chatty OAPs banned from park bench for being too noisy

By John Hirst

Chatty OAPs banned from park bench for being too noisy

A group of pensioners have been told they cannot meet and chat on a park benches, because their talking has been deemed anti-social.

"The seven pensioners, including a 96-year-old and her friend who dedicated 40 years of her life to the NHS, have been told their teatime chats are a 'noise nuisance' which disturbs nearby residents.

Housing Association bosses have now warned the group the four benches in Mottingham, south London, they sit on will be removed if they don't tone down the volume of their conversations.

The pensioners meet up once a day to talk about such every things like the weather, their families and the cost of living.

Ann Reddy, 69, who is recovering from a stroke and has had 45 operations, said she was horrified about being branded a trouble-maker.

The retired medical secretary, who worked for the NHS for 40 years, labelled the accusations "unbelievable".

The pensioner, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, said: "How could I possibly be capable of anti-social behaviour?".

I did not think all this ASBO nonsense was a good idea in the first place because it would lead to criminalising ordinary human conduct.

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on November 03, 2008 (boomark / email).