What are the consequences?
Incidents of anti-social behaviour may seem like nothing at the time and you may even think that you’ve gotten away with them however, often once these incidents have been investigated, you’ll get a visit from the police or council.
In many cases, the first time you’re involved in anti-social behaviour, you’ll be given a warning and your parents will be informed but if you continue to behave anti-socially, the consequences for you and your family quickly escalate.
Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs)
You may be asked to sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC), which puts conditions in place that you need to stick to for a 6 month period in order to prevent you causing further anti-social behaviour. Breach this and you may be asked to put it right by litter picking, cleaning police vehicles or helping with a community project for example.
If it’s a serious breach or if you keep breaching your ABC, further steps may be taken such as a Community protection Notice being issued.
Community Protection Notices
In cases of persistent, unreasonable behaviour, a Community Protection Notice may be issued by the police or the local council. This is a formal legal notice that contains requirements that you must stick to in order to prevent further anti-social behaviour. These conditions may include things that you can’t do such as; a curfew, people that you can’t associate with, places that you can’t go to or things that you have to do such as attending appointments with the Youth Offending Team or careers service for example.
Breaching a Community Protection Notice without a very good reason is a criminal offence which could either be dealt with by a Fixed Penalty Notice (fine) of £100 which has to be paid within 14 days or you may be taken to court where the maximum penalty is currently a fine of £2500 as well as a criminal record!
The court may also make an order requiring any item that you have used to commit anti-social behaviour to be seized by the police. That speaker you keep playing loud music from … that bike you keep riding anti-socially … the phone that you keep recording and sharing incidents on could all be taken from you and not returned.
If you’re under 16, a Community Protection Notice would be served on your parents. This means that if the conditions are breached, they would risk a hefty fine and a criminal record … for your anti-social behaviour!
Court Orders
In the most serious cases, the police or local council may apply to a court for an injunction or a Criminal Behaviour Order in order to put strict conditions in place to prevent you being involved in any further anti-social behaviour. Breaching these orders has very serious consequences which can even include you being sent to prison.
Housing action
Did you know that anti-social behaviour can also end up with you being evicted from your home? In serious cases, the police or the council can take action to evict you and your family from your home in order to prevent you causing further anti-social behaviour. That’s you, your parents, any siblings and even your pets kicked out of their home!
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