New ASBO-style powers to help Met tackle anti-social behaviour in crime-blighted London neighbourhoods

New ASBO-style powers are set to help the Met Police tackle anti-social behaviour in London neighbourhood blighted by crime, the Home Office has said.

The Government on Monday introduced Respect Orders, which will see offenders hit with tougher restrictions such as curfews and town centre bans.

They could see criminals slapped with unlimited fines and tough community punishments, including hours of volunteering.

For the first time, courts will also be able to order prolific perpetrators into rehab programmes if their offending is linked to drug and alcohol use or impose anger management classes.

Policing Minister Sarah Jones (centre) visited Southall, where police are planning to use Respect Orders to tackle anti-social behaviour

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Sir Tony Blair’s Labour government introduced Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) in 1998 and they were scrapped in 2014 following legal challenges.

The new Respect Orders can only be issued to adult criminals, while ASBOs could be enforced on those aged ten and up.

Policing Minister Sarah Jones, during a visit to Southall, told the Standard: “ASBOs and some of the orders that replace them do different things.

“Basically, Respect Orders bring all of those options together. So ASBOs were quite good on the punishment side.

“Some of the orders are quite good on the treatment side. This is bringing them together, and there's a broad definition of what you can use them for.

“So what I'm hoping is that all our neighbourhood teams across London and across the country will be thinking, ‘okay, I know who the real perpetrators of antisocial behaviour in my community are Respect Orders is something that I want to use against them’.

“It's a broad definition. You can use it where you need it. It's for adults who are those persistent offenders.”

Policing Minister Sarah Jones said Respect Orders could see criminals slapped with unlimited fines and tough community punishments

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Respect Orders will be uploaded to the Police National Computer and if someone is committing anti-social behaviour, officers will be able to check to see if one is in place and arrest them for breaching their conditions.

Police forces, councils, social landlords, Transport for London, the Environment Agency, and NHS Counter fraud authority are among the organisations that can apply for the new orders.

Superintendent Sean Lynch, who leads neighbourhood policing in Ealing, said Respect Orders “will help immensely” when it comes to tackling anti-social behaviour in London.

“Often, our local partners are making applications for injunctions which don't have a power of arrest, so Respect Orders gives us just that,” he told the Standard.

“ What we hear in Ealing and across London, is the challenges that antisocial behaviour causes.

“We we absolutely acknowledge that, and we know it's a very difficult challenge.

“The critical bit for the Respect Order for me is that we come together with our housing providers, council and police, so that we can target those that we know need us the most in terms of enforcement activity.”

Respect Orders will be uploaded to the Police National Computer

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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Unchecked, anti-social behaviour blights our communities. But it is not inevitable and I won't accept it.

"For too long, we have lacked the powers we need to deal with this problem properly.

“From today, that changes: authorities will be able to take tough action against these offenders.

“This delivers on a commitment we made to the British people in our manifesto. And, most importantly, those who make life a misery for others will now face the consequences of their actions.”