Chapel Street residents gave evidence against Mrs Jones

She was accused of terrorising elderly neighbours on an almost daily basis with behaviour such as throwing eggs and dirty water at people.

But Mrs Jones insists she has done nothing wrong and only pleaded guilty to avoid a lengthy legal battle.

Magistrates in Merthyr Tydfil heard evidence from 40 neighbours in Chapel Street in the town's Troedyrhiw area.

They were told the disputes in the street began after Mrs Jones was stopped from treating a neighbour's path as a right of way.

What followed was a sustained campaign of verbal abuse and anti-social behaviour which they say left them feeling terrorised.

Neighbour Tony Thomas, 62, said: "What they did bordered on an act of terror. We were afraid to go out.

Tony Thomas said his family were verbally abused

"The second she saw you coming, she would insult you.

"You could not live normally in this street."

But in 1998 the government introduced the new range of anti-social behaviour orders.

It meant that the residents could begin to do something about the activities which they say had come to blight their lives.

With the help of police constable Kelvin Jones, they logged a long list of incidents which were considered at the magistrates' hearing.

The antisocial behaviour order, which also applies to Mrs Jones's daughter, Debora Burke, 42, has six conditions requiring them not to intimidate or harass anyone in the Merthyr Tydfil area for the next three years.

If they fail to meet these conditions, they face a fine of up to �5,000 or up to five years in prison.

Mrs Jones said her conscience is clear

After the case, Mrs Jones said: "These allegations are not true - I've been set up.

"I've lived in Chapel Street all my life and always helped my neighbours.

"I'm not that type of person. I'm a respectable person.

"I've been so kind to so many of those people.

"Now no-one talks to me and it's mental torture."

PC Jones said the result had delighted people up and down the street.

"As old and frail as some of the neighbours were, they were prepared to go to court," he said.

"We have made 12 people's lives a lot more peaceful."