elderly man dies in prison after being jailed for playing radio too loud

An 83-year-old man who was jailed for playing radio too loud in his home has died in prison.

Ian Trainer, who had been repeatedly jailed in recent years, died in hospital on November 23.

The pensioner, from Eton Drive, Aintree, Merseyside, was given a restraining order in 2019 which prohibited him from playing – between the hours of 9am and 10pm – ‘any audio at a volume above normal talking level’ which was considered to be above 65 decibels.

However despite having previously been jailed for the same offence, on his release from a short sentence handed down in February, Trainer continued to play loud music and he was returned to custody a short time later.

His cause of death was not confirmed.

At a hearing in February, Liverpool Magistrates Court heard how Trainer’s neighbour, Thomas Michael Thompson, had experienced ‘noise pollution’ from his neighbour’s property for a number of years.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2019, a police officer attended Trainer’s property after being called out for a complaint of noise by Mr Thompson.

However the court heard, when the officer arrested him on suspicion of breaching a condition of a restraining order, Trainer told the officer ‘I like playing music at a level I enjoy.’

The court also heard Trainer had been suffering from a bad cold and was unable to hear out of one ear and was unable to wear earphones due to being on steroids for a medical condition, The Liverpool Echo reported earlier this year.

The news of Mr Trainer’s death has been met with anger across the city.

Sasha Iddon said: ‘This poor man should have been treated for his ears or his mental health looked at as to why he kept on breaching the restrictions.’

Jeanette Buhagiar said: ‘Absolutely disgraceful to jail a pensioner for playing loud music as he is deaf, may you hang your heads in shame over this. Surely he should have been helped not jailed.’

Jennifer Tyrrell said: ‘What a shame. Poor man was probably just reliving memories. Real criminals on the streets roaming free that need locking up.’

Lisa Holmes said: ‘This is heart breaking.’

However some felt that the courts had been left with no option but to jail Mr Trainer.

Ryan O’Hanlon said: ‘Just because he was 83 doesn’t excuse him from being ignorant. He was a repeat offender and continually ignored the courts and the police. Are people meant to live with music blaring all day and night next to them and brush it off. ‘

Irene Preston said: ‘This didn’t happen just recently. This had been going on for years and he wasn’t interested in changing.

‘Yes it is sad that be has died but the solution was in his own hands and he refused to change.’