HARASSED neighbours say they are relieved a teenager who terrorised their street has been given an Asbo.

But the 18-year-old has described the order as silly and says he was only doing the usual things people his age do.

And his mother says the Asbo is pathetic.

Swindon Magistrates' Court heard yesterday Shane Maslen, of Willows Avenue, Pinehurst, had upset residents in his street by being abusive to elderly people and causing a nuisance.

He has been given a two-year order which stops him playing football in Willows Avenue, being abusive to residents or repeatedly driving or riding up and down the road.

Maslen was not at the hearing because he says he got confused over the time and had a meeting with the Inland Revenue.

Prosecuting, Francis Maples gave some examples of the incidents, saying that Maslen had been involved in a pattern of prolonged serious nuisance.

On June 3, residents in the road reported Maslen's behaviour to the police four times in just over an hour. At 9.12pm, a resident complained that a group including Maslen had put a hole in their garden hedge.

Forty five minutes later, two more calls were made, one said he was being abusive to a resident, another said he was drunk and abusive and apparently threatening to set fire to that resident's home.

Then at 10.06pm another call was received by police saying that Maslen had gone berserk.

Mr Maples said: "The residents of the street were suffering a lot of distress.

"But he now has employment which will go a long way to take his mind on to other things.

"Peace has returned to Willows Avenue. The order protects the human rights of the residents of Willows Avenue but has encouraged Mr Maslen to make a turnaround in his life."

One neighbour, who was too scared to be named, said after the case: "He wasn't just playing football in the street, he would just go in to everyone's garden and to hell with it.

"If you tried to speak to him he'd just give you a mouthful."

One woman, who lives nearby, added: "Hopefully this will make him stop but I'm not convinced.

"If it works then that's good news. We've had to put up with a lot."

The council's anti-social behaviour co-ordinator Cheri Wright said: "There have been considerable community problems in Pinehurst and we have been identifying who the ringleaders are.

"There are two issues, with problems at The Circle and problems in the streets where people live.

"Shane Maslen was a nuisance for neighbours, aggressively going into people's gardens and having complete disregard for people in the community.

"The Asbo will limit his negative impact on the community and, hopefully, allow a better quality of life."

Maslen'sview

SHANE Maslen says the Asbo banning him from playing football in the streets is unfair.

His neighbours have regularly complained about his aggressive and intimidating behaviour but he insists he was just acting his age.

Maslen, who has started working as a painter and decorator, said: "It's silly that I can't play football.

"It's just a few of us who play in the street.

"I haven't been in trouble for ages.

"It's just one old woman across the road moaning. It's just me and my mates having a kick-about and sometimes the little kids would join in."

He is unhappy about the length of the order.

"Two years is a bit much," he said.

"I know someone who only got three months. I thought it would only be a little one. I wasn't expecting two years"

His mother,Jane, is equally annoyed with the order.

She said: "It's pathetic. It's mainly just one person complaining all the time."