I see your point Graham, but frankly I don't think the conservatives are conservative any more, nor are the liberal's liberal... if indeed they truly ever were.

Government's tend to push for more powers, regardless. Occasionally, we get lucky and one winds a few things back.

Depending on our political orientation, when it comes to government intrusion, we usually only see the strides forward that clash with our views.

Though, I'm concerned that the usual civil libertarians aren't kicking up more of a stink about Bagram prison in Afghanistan, but it seems OK for Obama to do guantanamo-type things, provided he does it somewhere in the middle east.

This sex thing though, seems to me, to be a noise issue and not really in tune with the typical civil liberties infringements.
Would we be having this same debate if it was a frequently played loud stereo?

Well Leigh I never thought you'd make me laugh, but that little anecdote had me in fits!!

TRTTL:"Would we be having this same debate if it was a frequently played loud stereo?"

Why is it always in England? Years ago that English chick got jailed for playing the theme song from "Bodyguard" over and over. Whitney Housten or something.

Can someone explain what the debate is?

“Another one for the Blair/Brown government.”

Aw… steady on Gra. The woman was charged with breaching a noise abatement order, two days after it was imposed. What has that to do with the Blair/Brown government or a Bill of Rights?

Magistrates heard that the Cartwrights' neighbour Margery Ball had not had a decent night's sleep in two years because of the noise made by the pair - even though she is partially deaf.

After receiving complaints environmental health officers placed recording equipment in the flat next door to her house in Concord, Tyne and Wear.

Another neighbour, Rachel O'Connor, pressed a button on the machine every time she was disturbed by noise from next door. She told Sunderland Magistrates Court: 'I heard sounds of a sexual nature. They were really loud, and there was a lot of moaning and groaning and screaming as if in pain.It wasn't just the woman, it came from both parties.'

Miss O'Connor told the court that when she first moved into the flat, in November 2007, the noise started at midnight and lasted until 3am.

Now, she said, the noise started at about 6.30am and lasted until 9am. Environmental Health officer Pamela Spark told the court she had listened to 23 recordings of the couple having sex.

She said: 'There was an excessive screaming female voice on the recordings.'

Chairman of the magistrates Alan Griffins said: ‘You were ordered to refrain from screaming and shouting at such levels when engaging in sexual activity with your husband.

‘You could have made efforts to minimise your vocalisation while having sex. You have not shown due respect for other human beings.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1171244/Woman-handed-Asbo-loud-sex-sessions-neighbours-complained-police-25-times.html#

The real issue is the heavy hand of Govt.They did not have to arrest this woman.It is also the duplicity of Govt whereby they will not confront real criminal activity since it costs too much to keep the real criminals in long term dentention.

Instead, our Govts target minor criminals who can afford to pay.It shores up their bottom line.

A philosophy of ignoring real criminal behaviour in order to achieve Govt profit,diminishes all of our society.

That's it Arjay - the real heavy hand of govt. This has a strong odour of self righteousness about it. Could it only happen in UK? We are not so far off here and for the same stupid reasons.

Seems like Winston and Julia are alive and well after all.