A NUISANCE neighbour who faced being booted out of her council house today won a dramatic reprieve.

Young mum Nicola Brown, 19, was accused of nearly 100 allegations relating to noisy and unruly behaviour in her York house.

City of York Council went to court to get her kicked out of its property in Bramham Road, Acomb.

A judge sitting at Leeds County Court today ruled Miss Brown had been a nuisance neighbour and breached her tenancy agreement. But he issued a suspended possession order, effectively giving her one last chance.

Judge Roger Ibbotson told the hearing: "In this particular case I am satisfied that there were continued acts of nuisance over a prolonged period.

"This involved nuisance and annoyance to neighbours and criminal conduct of some seriousness."

He suspended the order for two years, but warned that further breaches would see the council apply for immediate eviction.

The council took action after scores of complaints from four sets of neighbours about Miss Brown, who is battling against a heroin addiction. She was convicted of handling stolen electrical goods at the council house earlier this month and was handed an 18-month community rehabilitation order.

Brown moved into the council house in late 2002. Residents lodged 93 complaints about late-night noise, car engines being noisily revved, late-night parties, visits from criminals and drug use at the property.

A two-day York hearing last week was told that Brown admitted she took heroin at the property.

After the ruling, Neil McFarlane, tenancy enforcement manager with City of York Council, said: "The council is satisfied that all reasonable efforts have been made to try and resolve this matter.

"The council will continue to monitor the situation very closely and will be prepared to take this case back to court if there is any further evidence of nuisance."

Updated: 14:34 Wednesday, April 28, 2004