Ten police cars called to row over loud music in Hertford St

[dutchman]

Ten police cars descended on a busy part of Coventry city centre after shoppers complained that a store was playing “sexually explicit” music.



Police were called to Cranium - an urban clothing shop in Hertford Street, just off Broadgate - at about 11am today.

Officers said they had received several reports from members of the public and nearby retailers that loud music “containing sexually explicit and offensive lyrics” was being played inside Cranium.

Police said a man was arrested at the shop for an alleged public order offence after he ''reacted angrily'' to the complaints.

A spokesman for Coventry Police added: “During the disorder one of the officers pressed his emergency button to request police back-up to deal with the man.

''As a result several other police colleagues responded to the incident.”

[dutchman]

Coventry city centre shop boss fined £100 after rap music row sparked huge police operation

A shop owner who sparked a huge police operation by playing explicit rap music in the city centre has been fined £100.

Police were called to Shingai Kamanga’s shop in July after a neighbouring business made a complaint over the foul-mouthed music.

But when they arrived in Hertford Street to try and diffuse the row they got into a dispute with the 23-year-old.

He angrily told officers “the fat white bitch” at a neighbouring business had called them in and when he was arrested an officer pressed a panic button.

It meant that a huge number of officers descended on nearby Broadgate before Kamanga was led away to the nearby police station.

At Coventry Magistrates Court today, Kamanga, of Hermes Crescent, Henley Green, pleaded guilty to using racially aggravated threatening words or behaviour.

A separate charge of resisting arrest had been dismissed at a previous hearing.

Jagdeep Sekhon, prosecuting, said: “The defendant had a premises in Hertford Street called Cranium. Next door to that was Home Finance where two witnesses work.

“They have been having problems with the defendant playing rap music since April. It’s got louder and louder.

“On July 2 a customer attended Home Finance and the music started playing at around 10am.

“The music was so loud that a staff member had to increase the volume of her voice and despite that the customer could still not hear her.

“The staff member then contacted the council and spoke to a man who came to the shop and listened to the music for 45 minutes.”

The solicitor said the council official heard offensive and sexually explicit lyrics playing on the shop’s sound system.

Miss Sekhon continued: “The police were called and officers attended.

“They asked the defendant if he knew why they were here. He said no and the officer said we’re here about the racket.

“He then started shouting ‘who are you to come in here and tell me what to do’. He got more and more angry saying ‘it was that fat white bitch next door, wasn’t it’.”

Kamanga was taken to Coventry Central Police Station where he denied playing offensive music.

Until yesterday Kamanga had denied the offence but after a brief conversation with a solicitor he pleaded guilty.

Kamanga, who defended himself, said: “On reflection I would like to apologise.

“When I played loud music I did not intend to upset anyone. I was just playing the music to try and get customers to come into the shop.”

On hearing that one of the staff members at Home Finance had been wearing a panic alarm since the incident Kamanga said: “I wasn’t aware that’s how they felt.

“I’m sorry that’s how they feel and I’m sorry they feel I’m a threatening character. I don’t believe I am.

He added: “I’m really sorry that’s how they feel. That was never my intention. I’m not a scary person.

“Hopefully they will not be threatened by me if they see me in public and hopefully they can get over what happened.”

Kamanga told the court his shop had been closed since the week after his arrest.

He is hoping to re-open in FarGo Village in the near future.

Miss Sekhon had asked magistrates for a restraining order to be imposed banning Kamanga from contacting the two staff members and from going to Home Finance in Hertford Street.

But chairman of the bench Steven Old said that would not be “proportionate”.

Kamanga was fined £100, and ordered to pay £150 costs and a victim surcharge of £20.

[dutchman]

Kamanga told the court his shop had been closed since the week after his arrest.

He is hoping to re-open in FarGo Village in the near future.

Lucky FarGo Village!