Partially deaf man who blasted country music to move home

Country music fan Michael O'Rourke is preparing to leave Peterhead after admitting he had become a nuisance to his neighbours. Picture: Hemedia

Partially deaf Michael O’Rourke has been in trouble with neighbours over country and western music blaring from his property over the past seven years.

The 57-year-old loves listening to Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash but has been driving local residents in Peterhead to distraction.

He has been in court several times since being hit with a three year anti-social behaviour order in 2009 and even had his record player confiscated by a sheriff when he continued to play his music.

In January the country and western fan was jailed for four months after admitting playing his music so loudly it work his neighbour up on the town’s Gadles Brae in the middle of the night.

O’Rourke also attempted to kick one of the police as he was being escorted to the police station.

The sheriff described his behaviour as “appalling” and typical of a teenager who had moved away from home for the first time.

On Monday the Peterhead resident was back in court after admitting breaching his anti-social behaviour order six times and slapping a police officer.

But the court heard that O’Rourke was now planning to move out of town and was in the middle of selling his flat.

Sheriff Andrew Miller, who heard the case, said putting him in prison for his crimes would only delay his efforts to leave Peterhead.

Instead, he deferred sentencing for two months to allow O’Rourke to finalise the sale of his home and to prove he could behave.

Defence solicitor John Adam, of AFJ Solicitors, said his firm was putting the property on the market.

He said: “He accepts, my lord, that he has been a nuisance to his neighbours.

“Wherever he moves to will not be in Peterhead – he hopes to be no bother to anybody.”

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