Stars In their Eyes finalist Elaine Rennie was prosecuted by Newcastle City Council after breaching an order banning her from serenading 4am drinkers
She was taken to court after she breached an order banning her from performing late-night shows with an electric guitar and amp.
Now the singer, who said she has shed seven stone in preparation for meeting her idol Belinda Carlisle in May, has seen her “bespoke, irreplaceable and unique” amplifier confiscated by JPs at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court.
She said the court order will derail her dream of pursuing a professional musical career - also ruling-out an X-Factor appearance.
Today the 42-year-old, from North Parade, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, said: “My equipment was seized four days before I had an X Factor audition in Glasgow.
“I just couldn’t perform, I just broke down in tears. I was just so shocked because I thought I would have had my amp.
“I’ve been singing since I was a child. I’ve got a lot of fans and I’ve never had anything bad written about me.”
She performed as her heroine Belinda Carlisle on the ITV show in 1999. She won her heat and was watched by 12 million viewers in the live final.
She plays guitar and sings outside St James’ Park on match days and says she donates all her earnings to church and an animal sanctuary.
She said: “I always give the money away to charities."
Council chiefs - as part of a clampdown on nuisance noise in Newcastle - have drawn up a code of practice for buskers to stop residents being hounded with music.
Rennie has racked-up five offences of operating a loud speaker and creating noise pollution, magistrates have been told.
But when a night-time noise team from Newcastle City Council spotted her playing her guitar outside The Gate complex on April 28 last year, they approached her and confiscated her gear.
During a hearing at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court, Rennie begged chairman of the bench Barry Wagstaff not to take her amplifier, offering to pay a £2,000 fine and pleading: “I’d give my life for that amp.”
Tim Gregory, mitigating for Rennie: “She’s got a long history of mental health problems including obsessive compulsive disorder and bi-polar condition.
“Her music has been her main therapy and it’s very important to her to keep on playing.
“She wants to make a go of it in the music industry. She’s got various options open to her - she wants to go on The X Factor and other music programmes. She’s signed on to a music company and she’s got a CD. She works for her local church where she performs.”
Mr Wagstaff ordered Rennie to pay a £145 fine, £450 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.