My neighbours are causing a disturbance with a loud party, what should I do about it? And, can the police help?
Section 54 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 makes it an offence for someone to sound or play a musical instrument, or operate any radio or television receiver, record player, tape recorder or other sound producing device so as to give any other person reasonable cause for annoyance, if they fail to desist on being required by a constable to do so. Section 24 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 inserts a new subsection into section 54 of the CG (S) Act 1982, which empowers a police officer to enter premises without a warrant and to seize noise-making equipment if he reasonably suspects that an offence under section 54(1) has been committed, and to use reasonable force in doing so. The power of seizure applies not only in cases where it is obvious that an offence under section 54 has been committed. It will not always be immediately clear whether criminal proceedings are to be taken. The police may choose not to report the matter to the Procurator Fiscal where there is patently
