Optician can't see the joke over Robbie Williams noise fine

A man fined over complaints that he sang Robbie Williams's Angels at the top of his voice at his flat late at night is threatening to sue his council for libel.

Optician Caiphas Chambati admitted breaching a noise abatement order and was fined £250 and ordered to pay £500 costs to Hammersmith and Fulham.

But Mr Chambati, 46, was not living at the flat in Aiten Place, Hammersmith, at the time and blamed his tenants for the noise. He accepted the fine from West London magistrates on a technicality because the tenants were his responsibility. But Hammersmith and Fulham council sent out a press release accusing Mr Chambati of being responsible for the karaoke session last October.

Greg Smith, cabinet member for crime and anti-social behaviour, was quoted as saying: "Chambati tried to wriggle out of this and lay blame at his tenants' door but he played the role of party host and choirmaster to an audience that didn't want to listen. He was more X Factor wannabe than pop superstar. I hope this will stop him from being a rock DJ in future."

Council officials have now admitted making a mistake and accept Mr Chambati was not at the flat at the time of the complaints.

Mr Chambati said: "It was established in court the person who claimed to be me at the flat was not me. This press release is absolute nonsense.

"I will definitely take action and fight this. It is more than libellous. I don't like Robbie Williams but even if I did this would be ridiculous." He said his tenants had failed to forward letters from environmental health officers who were called out to his flat six times last winter.

He said: "Had I been aware that the notice had been sent I would have obviously taken action. Why would I ignore a noise abatement order to my detriment?"

The tenants have since moved out and Mr Chambati is living at the flat, which he has owned for seven years. A council spokeswoman said: "Someone at the property identified themselves to our environmental health officer as Mr Chambati when they clearly weren't him."