Ref. 75989-82THIS is Daniel Smith a teenage neighbour from hell who terrorised a family of five so badly that they put their house up for sale.

Thanks to the Advertiser, the 16-year-old lout can be named and shamed in public for his 18-month reign of misery against the mother-of three.

Magistrates agreed to our request to lift restrictions, which normally protect the identity of juvenile criminals.

And despite his best efforts to evade the camera, his face was caught when he turned round to flick us a V-sign.

Earlier, we asked him to apologise for harassing nurse Mandy Canavan and her fire fighter husband.

But he refused, and instead spurted out a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse.

Speaking outside court with his mother Debra at his side he said: "**** off. What have I got to apologise for, there're all a bunch of *******."

And his mother appeared to back him up, telling us to leave her son alone.

At yesterday's hearing, magistrates slapped a two-year Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) on Smith, banning him from the vicinity of the Canavan's semi-detached home in Quarry Road, Highworth.

He must not live in or enter Quarry Road, and not enter Station Road and Newburgh Place or attempt to contact the family.

The court heard how normal life for the Canavans was shattered when Smith moved in with their neighbour in August 2003.

Simon Brenchley, prosecuting, said he plagued the family with loud music, foul-mouthed abuse and intimidation.

Wearing jeans, trainers and a large black jacket, Smith scowled at the floor as the evidence was read out.

Mr Brenchley described how things reached a head at the end of December when Smith slashed a £200 trampoline given to the Canavans' children for Christmas. He admitted the offence at an earlier heading, where he also pleaded guilty to damaging Christmas lights belonging to another neighbour.

A statement given by Mrs Canavan was read out, which said: "We feel like prisoners in our own home.

"The police have been invaluable, but recently they have appeared powerless to help."

A noise abatement order issued in November last year failed to stop the music. But life returned to normal after Smith was arrested for attacking the trampoline and bailed to live at another address in Swindon, where he is still residing.

Mr Brenchley urged magistrates to use new powers which allow courts to impose ASBOs in cases like this to prevent further problems.

Stephen Weighell, defending, said Smith had responded well when a supervision order was issued in 2001 for a previous offence of criminal damage.

He said the problems were prompted by a confrontation with Mrs Canavan's husband.

Besides the ASBO, Smith was given a six-month supervision order. He will also pay £200 for the damaged trampoline, £40 for the Christmas lights and £34 costs.

Huge relief

MANDY Canavan will never forget the day Daniel Smith moved next door.

His incessant drum'n'bass music was so loud she could hear it 200 metres away as she begged for help at the local police station.

Then there was the stream of insults that would spout from his mouth at every opportunity.

The harassment left Mrs Canavan, 37, on anti-depressants, her husband John, 38, unable to sleep and her three children too scared to play outside.

Things got so bad that the family eventually decided to sell up and move.

"We had been so happy here, but this just pushed us over the edge," said the Great Western Hospital nurse.

"I'm just so overjoyed and relieved, this is the start of a new life."

The deafening music meant shift-worker Mr Canavan an MoD fire-fighter at Shrivenham would regularly go for days without sleep.

"You just couldn't get away from the music," said Mrs Canavan, whose children are Jamie, 12, Adam, 10 and Katy, five.

"My husband was just totally exhausted.

"It was so loud the pictures on the wall would vibrate.

"The harassment started because we very politely asked him to turn his music down when he first moved in."

In a bizarre twist, the Canavans bought the four-bedroom property from Smith's mother.

The family moved away, but Smith later returned to live with his former next-door-neighbour.

Mrs Canavan thanked the police and local MP Michael Wills for their help.

Tamash Lal