Cocorite resident — what noise?

Residents of the million-dollar apartments near the sea on the Western Main Road in Cocorite are fighting the granting of an occasional licence to Club O, an entertainment establishment recently set up in close proximity at 191 Western Main Road.

Bayside Towers residents say the noise and the lights from the bar are their main problems.

Peter Lettreal, a retired electronics repairman, said he has been living at 199 Western Main Road for the last 30 years, and yesterday disclosed that his house is to the west of Club O, about 500 yards away. When questioned by the club’s attorney, Keith Scotland, Lettreal told the court he has never experienced any problems with noise, or lights, from the bar and he sleeps soundly at nights.

Shortly after she began her cross-examination of the witness, however, Peake lowered her voice considerably, moved further away from Lettreal, and even turned her head away from him.

When the pensioner said he was not hearing her, she asked him if he had a hearing problem, and if he had his hearing tested.

Scotland objected, and Lettreal told Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim, "Your Lady, I am not hearing." Lee Kim replied that she was hearing, and she was further away from Peake.

Peake continued in her low, almost soft, tone, ignoring Lettreal’s repeated pleas that he was not hearing her.

He then turned to Lee Kim and pleaded, "Excuse me, Your Honour, I am not hearing. If we have to get on with this case." But she, too, ignored him.

Peake continued in her low tone but, all of a sudden, Lettreal started hearing her.

In reply to a question from her, he said nobody offered him anything to come to court and give evidence.