HE did what a good neighbour should. Eighteen months ago, he caught two youths smashing the windows of a house in his street.

It would have been easier to walk on. But a sense of justice propelled him to intervene.

Now he wishes he never had. The 46-year-old York man has been pushed to breaking point by a hate campaign waged, he believes, in direct retaliation for his actions.

Today his home, which should be his sanctuary, has become his prison. His tormentors, meanwhile, walk free.

Earlier this month, we reported Sheffield University Professor Jason Ditton's claim that "fear of crime only exists in crime surveys".

Prof Ditton should talk to the victim of this hate campaign, or to the writer of our lead letter tonight. Fear of crime is very real.

It exists because people have lost faith in the criminal justice system. Certain thugs and vandals appear to have impunity from arrest. When the police do catch them, the courts often seem powerless to act.

The sheer ordinariness of tonight's story is a case in point. The victim lives in a quiet suburb of a city which enjoys one of the highest qualities of life in Britain. But here, too, the yobs rule and there seems little we can do about it.

Home Secretary David Blunkett wants communities to band together to reclaim their streets from the hooligans. But in York a community-minded neighbour tried to do just that only to see his life shattered.

The Government must take a lead. It has made progress in boosting police numbers. Certainly a greater police presence on York's streets might deter the troublemakers.

But too often, Mr Blunkett appears to be making up crime policy on the hoof, like his decision today to release hundreds of criminals early because the prisons are full.

Many people want to do their bit to tackle crime. But until the system is readjusted to favour the victim not the criminal, they will be reluctant to do so.

Updated: 10:18 Thursday, March 21, 2002