Two thirds of Asbos breached

Figures obtained by the Conservatives have revealed that two thirds of people given an anti-social behaviour order for the first time go on to breach it.

Just 42 per cent of people breached their first Asbo in 2003, but this increased to 67 per cent in 2006.

In some areas, more Asbos were breached than were being issued. For example, courts in Essex handed out 32 Asbos, while 35 were breached and in Surrey in 2006 26 Asbos were issued and 27 breached.

Shadow Home Office minister James Brokenshire said: "Asbo breaches have become a badge of dishonour for the government's policies.

"They used to be proud to talk about Asbos as the centrepiece of the Respect agenda. Now they try to emphasise other gimmicks and initiatives which are also failing.

"This new data shows just how much of a mess the government have got into over their strategy to combat anti-social behaviour."

However, a Home Office spokesman said the breach rate "shows the system is working by bringing perpetrators, who have chosen to break the law, back to court where the community can see that there are consequences anti-social behaviour".

"It shows that Asbos have teeth," he said.

The news follows last week's recommendation from the Sentencing Guidelines Council that young offenders breaching their Asbo should get no more than a 12-month sentence, or be given a fine in less serious cases.