A FAMILY terrorised for years in their own home by yobs have been completely failed by the authorities, a scathing report has concluded.

The Home Office launched an investigation into the case of single mum Asher Nardone, who has been subjected to four years of hell on Poole’s Bourne Estate.

It found Dorset Police and Poole council’s response to the appalling anti-social behaviour (ASB) to be “fractured, isolated and flawed”.

Trevor Kennett, author of the independent report and one of the country’s leading ASB experts, said Ms Nardone had been “let down” by the authorities.

“The agencies have collectively failed, over a prolonged period of time, to adequately protect and to stop the harm to victims of anti-social behaviour,” said Mr Kennett.

Ms Nardone, whose eldest son is profoundly disabled, had her windows smashed, car vandalised and even objects hurled at her during the campaign of abuse.

But the authorities failed to make full use of the powers available to them, despite “numerous examples to support action”, said Mr Kennett.

There were “multiple missed opportunities” to protect the community, he added.

In total, Mr Kennett found 22 failings in Ms Nardone’s case.

One of the findings suggested Ms Nardone’s constant battle for action with the authorities led to her being painted as “antagonistic”.

But Mr Kennett said it was “to her credit” that she kept on challenging the agencies, despite apparent “agency and officer exhaustion” with the case.

Poole Housing Partnership (PHP), which manages the council’s social housing stock, was praised in the report for its involvement with the Hambridge family.

They were evicted from Grange Gardens in 2007 for continual ASB, violence and abuse.

Mr Kennett said PHP had done “remarkably well” in taking action, despite a lack of support from the council or police.

Having poured hours of her time into fighting the cause, Ms Nardone, 40, said she finally felt vindicated by the Home Office report.

“The truth has to come out about our case and how hard it is to fight the system,” she said.

“Thousands of victims will never have the chance to get their case looked at independently, so will never get answers.

“They will be sucked under by the system and the abuse that never ends.”

Main conclusions of Home Office-commissioned report:

• Inconsistent council involvement and a lack of understanding of duties under Crime and Disorder Act

• Lack of co-ordinated action and information sharing by the agencies

• Under-use of powers and legislation available to tackle ASB

• Lack of communication with the community

• Poor victim support

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