A FAMILY from hell who mounted a six-year campaign of verbal abuse, assaults and intimidation have been kicked out of their council house.

The Birmingham council tenant and her tearaway sons have been ordered out of their home in Harvington Road, in Weoley Castle, and slapped with Anti-Social Behaviour Injunctions (ASBIs).

The reign of intimidation and violence was so bad that some neighbours said they feared to leave their homes and one next door neighbour sent her nine-year-old son to China to live with his grandfather because of a barrage of racist abuse.

Jobless Karen Wilkins admitted almost all of the allegations, including the bizarre practice of growling at people who she didn’t like in the street, during a three-day trial at

Birmingham County Court.

The 45-year-old has lived in the road since 1999 and was given an Anti-social Behaviour Order in 2002 with her then 14-year-old son Adam for harassing and abusing her then neighbours.

Adam, now 20, is in prison until at least September for burglary and proceedings against him were dropped. But his 23-year-old brother Brett was handed the two-year injunction with his mother this week for his part in the prolific anti-social behaviour. It means Brett is now excluded from the area where he has caused such misery and they will both be banned from intimidating, harassing or assaulting anyone in Weoley Castle.

The court heard how the family waged war on the estate with scores of verbal attacks, thefts of and from cars, burglaries of neighbours’ homes, and serious physical assaults.

One of the most serious incidents was in May 2008 when both brothers kicked an elderly man unconscious who challenged one of them for urinating in his garden.

Another of the 52 incidents cited during the proceedings involved the unprovoked attack on a cyclist who was punched in the face by Adam as he rode past.

They also heard how Karen was convicted in Birmingham Magistrates in January 2008 for waving a seven-inch kitchen knife around in public and in front of children after she fell out with a neighbour.

Some neighbours said they were scared to leave the house or to confront the family, particularly Karen, who would growl at them when she was challenged.

His Honour judge Worster granted full anti-social behaviour injunctions against Karen and Brett and ordered a full possession order of the family home within 28 days.

Judge Worster said: “There has been a catalogue of incidents involving the whole family over many years and the effect on the victims in this case has been significant.

“I recognise how difficult these two young men are and in her words they are ‘completely out of control’ but she bears a heavy responsibility.

“Miss Wilkins has shown a continued lack of insight into the effect that this behaviour has had on others around her.