For more than a year four teenage Newhaven boys were neighbours from hell, carrying out a campaign of abuse against their neighbours.

The boys, the youngest of whom is 13, threatened to kill people in their community in Newhaven and made other neighbours' lives a misery by verbally abusing them, making malicious phone calls, carrying out arson attacks and causing criminal damage, Sussex police said.

But magistrates have threatened the teenage brothers with jail unless they end their anti-social behaviour.

Days before Christmas, the brothers were made the subject of anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) - a rare case of four members of the same family being handed such an order.

And to make sure they do not breach their orders, police yesterday decided to name and shame them, distributing posters carrying pictures of the four boys around Newhaven telling neighbours about the Asbos.

The poster states: "Any breaches should be reported immediately to the police by dialling 999."

The 13 to 18-year-olds, of Meeching Road, Newhaven, were handed interim Asbos, which ban them from engaging in conduct, including ball games, that causes harassment, alarm and distress to people in six Newhaven roads and engaging in behaviour in the same area that is threatening, abusive or insulting or encouraging or inciting others to do so.

They are also prohibited from throwing anything at buildings or people in the six roads or encouraging others to do so and causing damage to any property there.

The six roads included in the order are South Road, Meeching Road, Norman Road, Saxon Road, Bay Vue Road and Hillside.

If the boys violate the Asbos, they could face a maximum five-year jail term (two years for a youth), a fine or both.

Lewes district neighbourhood sergeant David Kemp said the eldest brother, 18-year-old Garry, was the first to act anti-socially and then the others jumped on the bandwagon.

He said: "We had a vast number of offences, mostly criminal damage, arson, people were verbally abused, there were some assaults. The whole pattern was one of complete unacceptability.

"To use the word 'terrorise' is all wrong because of the terrorist situation but if you spoke to some of the old folk they would say 'were terrorised'. It made people's lives miserable."

One victim, Johnny Hipperson, aged 22, of Hillside, broke down in tears as he told The Argus how he lost both his girlfriend and livelihood and sunk into a clinical depression, which he blamed on the Crossley brothers' reign of terror on his family.

He said the ordeal began after the brothers ignored his repeated requests to stop playing football in Bay Vue Road car park.

The football kept smashing car windscreens and mirrors.

Just over a year ago, Mr Hipperson, a mechanic who kept vehicles in the car park, asked the police to intervene but the Crossley brothers responded with a wave of retaliation.

He said they threw bricks through windows at his family's house, shoved death threat letters through the letter box and carried out criminal damage on his home.

Mr Hipperson lives with his parents, brother and four sisters. His girlfriend was also living in the house but left him seven months ago because, he says, she could no longer bear the chaos.

He said: "They are really making our lives a living hell in this town. They are continually badgering us and swearing at us.

"Half of the time, I feel like picking up my baseball bat and hitting the living daylights out of everyone of them but that would make me the villain.

"I'm 22, quite well built and know how to look after myself but I'm scared to be in my house on my own.

"They don't have the right to be here unless they are prepared to help the community, not destroy the community."

The Crossley family refused to comment.

However, some neighbours thought the boys' Asbos were a step too far.

Jim O'Brien, of Meeching Road, said: "I know the Crossley brothers and I've never had any problems with them. I think they get blamed for a lot of stuff they do not do."

Jacqui Bowen, 58, also of Meeching Road, said one used to clean her car and another found her lost dog.

She said: "I can accept they probably seem a bit threatening to some people when they hang out altogether but that's the same for any boys that age. I've never had problems."

Police officers will be distributing the posters around Newhaven in the next few weeks.

The four-month Asbos were issued on December 20 and requested by Lewes District Crime Reduction Partnership.