A NIGHTMARE tenant who made life hell for her neighbours has been ordered out of her home by a judge.

Karen Smith, 36, has 28 days to vacate her property after District Judge Michael Handley issued a possession order.

The catalogue of incidents connected to Miss Smith's York home included:

* Youths gathering outside using abusive language and behaviour;

* Youths staying overnight in a caravan in the garden;

* Youths playing football in the street in the middle of the night;

* A visitor to the house destroying a neighbour's fence;

* Fireworks discharged towards neighbouring houses;

* Violent arguments between Miss Smith and her former partner, Matthew Dodson, which in one case led to a death threat against a visitor to a neighbouring house.

Miss Smith argued the possession order should be suspended on condition that she take out an injunction against Mr Dodson.

But Judge Handley, describing Mr Dodson as a "volatile individual", rejected that argument because he said more anti-social behaviour was likely to occur.

Miss Smith, who lives with four of her children, aged one, three, six and 17, faced 83 separate complaints - 64 of them upheld - relating to incidents between February 2003 and last month.

The court heard that one neighbouring couple was reluctant to start a family because of the environment.

Another neighbour was desperate to sell his home, despite the likelihood of him losing money on the sale.

Judge Handley, sitting at York, said: "The neighbours have, quite simply, had enough. It could be argued they have had more than enough."

Miss Smith, who has lived in Cranfield Place, Foxwood, York, since 1997, was previously advised by City of York Council to seek an injunction against Mr Dodson, but, apart from making one telephone call to a solicitor, she did not take any action.