A SINGLE mother from Blackbird Leys who has been hounded by antisocial behaviour for more than a decade last night called on communities to rise up and reclaim the streets.

Sylvia Shaw said she was forced to speak out following the inquest of Leicestershire woman Fiona Pilkington who killed herself and her disabled daughter in a burning car after being repeatedly intimidated by a gang of youths.

At the inquest recently, the police and two councils were criticised for not acting on Ms Pilkington’s concerns.

Miss Shaw, 45, of Nightingale Avenue, took to the witness stand last month to give evidence against persistent troublemaker Byron Haines, who had his two-year antisocial behaviour order extended.

And she has urged others whose lives have been blighted by yobs to stand up and do the same.

Miss Shaw, an IT student, said: “It’s shocking that no one could help the Pilkington family in the community.

“No one stopped these children – and they are children – targeting them.

“I think it’s time for the community to fight back. Yobs are big bullies and if you fight bullies they just shy away.”

At Haines’ hearing at Oxford Magistrates’ Court last month, police said intelligence linked him with drug dealing. They also said he had used his dog “for intimidation instead of a knife”, wielded a machete-type blade and trained dogs to fight each other and kill cats.

Haines was first given an Asbo in 2007 – after 17 convictions in three years and 12 arrests in 18 months on suspicion of robbery, possession of crack cocaine and two knife attacks.

He is now banned from Greater Leys and Blackbird Leys until September next year and is one of 11 people in Oxfordshire with an Asbo.

Miss Shaw moved her three children Tarsha, 20, Tyree, 16, and Teyvion, six, to Blackbird Leys in 2007 after 10 years of intimidation in Bullingdon Road, East Oxford.

She said: “We’ve gone from the frying pan into the fire, but I’m not going to let them destroy my life. I walk with my head high. They call me Braveheart around here.

“The yobs are in control – and we need to turn that around. I went to court because it needs to stop.”

Police were unable to supply the number of reports they receive about antisocial behaviour each week in Oxford. But they confirmed they receive about 50 reports of antisocial behaviour every month in Blackbird Leys.

Last night, community leaders across the city backed Miss Shaw’s call and urged victims of intimidation and antisocial behaviour to stand strong, document problems and report them to the police and city council.

Pete Bonney, chairman of Wood Farm Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, said: “The community has to stick together. If we don’t, these people will take advantage.”

Sue Holden, secretary of Barton Community Association, said: “If people are being intimidated they need to stand up to them by going to court and reporting the problem because the sad thing is people will put up with it.”

Insp Andy Storey said: “What Sylvia did was brave without a doubt. People don’t have to give information with their name and address, they can report it anonymously through Crimestoppers.”

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk Reports of antisocial behaviour, bullying and intimidation should be reported to police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555111.