Judge Orders Noise Violators To Endure Barry Manilow And Barney

A Judge in Colorado has warned that people who repeatedly violate noise levels will face audible punishments, such as an hour of listening to songs by Barry Manilow.

Judge Paul Sacco introduced the measures after the same offenders kept appearing before him at the Fort Lupton Municipal Court.

Judge Sacco said that fining the persistent violators, many of whom had been found guilty of playing their stereos too loudly, had not proved to be a deterrent.

He believes that by forcing offenders to listen to tracks they won't like they will understand the annoyance they subject on others.

"This is a way, when I look back, of teaching manners to people," Judge Sacco told the Reuters news agency.

The Judge boasted that his new methods, which include playing the theme to Barney and Friends, had cut the number of repeat noise violators appearing in his court.

Noise violators who are fans of Manilow and Barney aren't subjected to the punishment, Judge Sacco said.

The punishments echo those recently handed to a hip-hop fan by a judge in Illinois.

Andrew Vactor was told that he could have his noise violation fine cut if he listened to 20-hours of compositions by Beethoven.