AT NINE years old, while other boys his age were climbing trees and dreaming about football, Daniel Iles was terrorising his neighbourhood.

The ex-Windmill School pupil would prowl the streets of Barton armed with golf clubs and pieces of wood, and hurl abuse at passers by.

He had joined forces with a group of teenagers who smashed up a building site and set fire to farmers fields on the outskirts of the estate, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

In 2004, by the age of 10, Daniel’s yobbish behaviour had got so bad, he was given an antisocial behaviour order (Asbo), banning him from being anywhere in public unaccompanied and forcing him to be home by 6.30pm each night. Now 18, Daniel claims to have turned his life around and wants to act as an inspiration to other young troublemakers.

He said his behaviour began to deteriorate when he was just nine, the same year he was diagnosed with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

He said: “I got involved with an older crowd, and soon was committing arson, criminal damage, burglary.

“I would go out with weapons, mainly golf clubs or a piece of wood.

“My school work went down hill, I kept getting suspended. I felt like no one wanted to help me.”

Mother Mel Foster, 38, said police would call at the family home about four times a week at the height of her son’s troublemaking.

She said: “I did try to keep him in, but every time Daniel would just climb out the toilet window.

“When he was given his Asbo I felt ashamed. Other parents on the estate would tell me my son did this and that, and even my family blamed me.”

After Daniel was given his Asbo, his family were given two options, either they or he left Barton.

Daniel decided to go and live with his father in Didcot. It was then that his life changed.

He said: “I got into St Birinus school, which is the best school in the county if you ask me, and I managed to knuckle down and get good grades.

“I have now got a great group of friends. I am a qualified painter and decorator and am planning to join the army.”

Daniel, who now lives in Greater Leys, contacted the Oxford Mail after reading about a 12-year-old who was thought to be the youngest child in Oxford to get an Asbo.

The boy from Blackbird Leys was behind a string of incidents of foul and abusive language, threats of violence, and other undefined “criminal activity”, but we are banned from naming him by a court order.

Daniel said he wanted to send a message to all children going down the wrong route.

He said: “When I got my Asbo I looked at the piece of paper every day for two weeks and just thought: ‘how did I let it get this bad?’ “I want to tell other kids that are making trouble, that they can do it. They can change their lives.

“If they do not they will end up in prison, or worse, killed.”

Mrs Foster added: “I am pleased with Daniel and the way he has changed his life. I am proud of how he has changed.”