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Steve Rotheram MP has criticised the Government's decision to weaken the powers of the police to tackle anti-social behaviour and reducing an ASBO so significantly, that an offender in breach of their ASBO will not even receive a criminal record.

The former Lord Mayor of Liverpool explained, "This is a desperately short-sighted and out of touch proposal from a Home Secretary that is very much clinging on. Families in Walton will be asking themselves, 'How does it make sense for someone to have to phone the police three times or for five separate households to make a complaint, before the police will act?' It is a perfectly legitimate question.

"My view is simple; all public complaints should be dealt with by the police, in the most effective and efficient manner. People suffering from antisocial behaviour don't want to wait for the government's proposed slow trigger."

"There is hugging a hoody and then there is putting your hood up and burying your head. That is exactly what Theresa May and David Cameron's proposal is all about; relinquishing responsibility. The country is crying out for the Government to get real on law and order. 16,000 less police officers as a result of police cuts and now a policy that will weaken the police's ability to stamp out anti-social behaviour.

"As the former Labour Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, said recently, 'people won't understand a government that is quick to protect an international development budget but even quicker to cut police numbers.'

"Crime is on the up and I won’t pretend that it is a quick fix or that there is an easy solution. But I do think that today's announcement is yet more evidence of the fact that David Cameron and his beleaguered Home Secretary, do not have the fight to tackle crime, and it will be our communities that suffer the most."

POWERS COMPARISON TABLE

Proposed power

Current power

Difference

Criminal Behaviour Order

CRASBO

Same

Crime Prevention Injunction

Stand-alone ASBO

Interim ASBO

ASBI (same lower standard of proof)

Significantly weaker than an ASBO. A breach of the new order is not a criminal offence and does not result in a criminal record. Police or local authority must pay to pursue civil proceedings against the person.

Level 2 Protection Order

Crackhouse closure

Premises Closure

Brothel Closure

Slightly weaker – to close a space temporarily requires a Magistrate

Level 1 Community Protection Order

Litter Clearance Notice

Noise Abatement Notice

Graffiti/Defacement Removal Notice

Same

Acceptable Behaviour Contract

Acceptable Behaviour Agreements

Same

Direction Power

Dispersal Power

Same