Doubts over new law to tackle antisocial behaviour

A shopkeeper previously plagued by antisocial behaviour has questioned the effectiveness of new measures, introduced by government.

Launched on Monday, Respect Orders partly replace older Anti-social Behaviour Orders (Asbo), and offer police and councils powers such as banning people from certain areas.

However, Rebecca Sutton, from Town Barbers in Market Drayton, said she feared they would be ineffective and merely shift problems from one area to another.

The government said Respect Orders gave the police and local authorities a wider range of punishments to address antisocial behaviour, enabling them to "take stronger enforcement action against relentless adult offenders".

Sutton took matters into her own hands in 2024 when she taped off a public bench that she said had become a magnet for drug-taking and sexual activity.

"I was going to close the shop because I was sick and tired of coming into the business," she said.

Since then, she said the police had taken action and this summer had been "blissful" by comparison.

But she was doubtful about the new Respect Orders.

"Unfortunately, if you push them from one space, they get pushed to another space," she said.

She also said it was pointless handing out fines that offenders could not afford to pay.

"It all depends on the power they get, because if it's moving them on and picking them up and then dropping them back off home, they're back down here in half an hour anyway," she said.

As well as police and councils, a wide range of organisations can apply for a Respect Order, including housing association landlords and transport bodies.

Courts can then impose measures such as banning offenders from town centres or stopping them from drinking in public.

If they breach the conditions, it would amount to a criminal offence and offenders could face fines or even up to two years in jail.

Courts could equally impose community punishments, such as curfews or require offenders to carry out volunteering.

However, the man responsible for overseeing West Mercia Police questioned how effective they would prove and whether under-pressure courts could cope.

John Campion, the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), described them as a "toothless tiger" without strong deterrents to back them up.

He said: "There's a real concern that this doesn't fix the system and I struggle to see the significant improvement that they will deliver."

He accepted the new orders were a "welcome step," and said his chief constable was "bringing more offenders to justice".

But, he said: "It doesn't go far enough, because what happens when somebody breaches these orders put before the court?"

Campion, who was also the PCC during the last Conservative government, said the problem was that the court system was "broken" and the prisons were full.

"The danger is it's a toothless tiger and people like Rebecca expect better," he said.

He added a "whole scale review of our criminal justice system" was needed, as well as a "significant amount of money" to be spent on the problem.

The government said Respect orders would give authorities the power to take tough action against persistent offenders and tackle antisocial behaviour that "blights our communities".

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