Taiwanese Woman Jailed for Megaphone Neighbour Abuse

A woman in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment for persistently using a megaphone to hurl insults at her neighbours during late-night hours over a period of almost two years.

Imagine sleeping peacefully only to be jolted awake by loud swearing in the dead of night. This was the nightmare endured by dozens of residents in Kaohsiung, who were subjected to the disruptive antics of a neighbour. Her actions prompted a lengthy legal battle.

A Taiwanese court recently ruled against a woman, surnamed Chen, after she reportedly installed sound-amplifying equipment on her balcony. She then used it to insult her neighbours at unsociable hours, at least three times per week, for almost two years.

The Disturbing Campaign

In May 2023, Chen began her campaign of abuse, targeting several neighbours with whom she had ongoing disputes. The amplified sound from her balcony was so loud that it disrupted the peace of numerous other households in her neighbourhood. She consistently broadcast at maximum volume, with each session typically lasting several minutes.

Court Proceedings and Sentence

After enduring the situation for almost two years and exhausting all attempts to reason with Chen, dozens of neighbours filed a joint complaint with local police. The case eventually proceeded to court, where Chen admitted to using a megaphone to hurl abuse at her neighbours late at night.

She contended, however, that she did so only occasionally and solely because disruptive noise from her neighbours had prevented her from resting adequately. Nevertheless, a judge ruled that Chen, by deliberately and repeatedly employing amplified equipment to broadcast abusive language during late-night hours, had exceeded what society considers reasonable or indeed tolerable.

She was handed a three-month prison sentence, commutable to a fine of NT$90,000 (approximately £2,300 or $3,600 USD), though she retains the right to appeal the sentence.

Previous Incidents of Neighbour Disputes

This form of audio torment is not unprecedented. Previous reports include incidents of a man who terrorised neighbours by playing loud music and dog barking all day, and a woman who played Verdi's La Traviata at high volume for 16 years.