Enforcement & support options

When a council team investigates a serious anti-social behaviour problem, the team takes a balanced approach and considers the effects it will have on the victims, witnesses and the community. The council team will try to resolve any problems by taking action, when appropriate, using the powers set out by the Anti-Social Behaviour Act of 2003.

Depending on the case, the council’s investigation team may use one of the enforcement and support options listed below.

Acceptable Behaviour Contract

An Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC) is a written agreement between a person who has been involved in anti-social behaviour and one or more local agencies who are responsible for preventing such behaviour.

The contract is agreed and signed at a meeting with the individual. The contract will list the acts in which the person has been involved and which they agree not to continue to do. Legal action in the form of an Anti-social behaviour order can be stated as the possible consequence of a breach of the contract.

Acceptable behaviour contracts usually last for six months, but they can be renewed. For more information on Anti-social behaviour orders, please see the next section below.

Anti-social behaviour order

The purpose of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) is to prevent anti-social behaviour by specific individuals. These orders can be applied for by Police, local authorities, registered social landlords and the British Transport Police.

Anti-social behaviour orders are usually arranged when an application has specifically been made for one. The order will contain details of what the defendant is prohibited from doing. There is no specified maximum duration for these orders and they last for a minimum of two years.

If an order is breached the defendant can be prosecuted and face a fine of up to £5,000 or up to five years in prison. Juvenile offenders can be given a detention and training order sentence which has a maximum term of 24 months.

Crack house closure

The council’s team is closing down crack houses throughout Tower Hamlets in cooperation with the Metropolitan Police partnership unit under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act. Closure orders can be obtained from the courts. These orders last up to three months and can also be extended for a longer period.

Dispersal order

With the introduction of new powers, the council’s team can now use dispersal orders across Tower Hamlets to disperse youths and other groups from causing a nuisance in identified hotspots. The dispersal order means that the Police can pick up youths that break the order and take them home or in some cases take further action.

Demotion orders

Tenants who do not respect their homes or the communities they live in could face losing their homes unless their anti-social behaviour ceases. If a tenant, a member of their household or their visitors behave anti-socially, the landlord can apply to the court for a demotion order to end the tenant’s existing tenancy agreement and replace it with a less secure demoted tenancy arrangement. This removes the tenant’s Right to buy and security of tenure for at least a year. At the end of a year if the landlord is satisfied by the tenant’s conduct, then a review will take place to reinstate the tenant’s original status.

Housing injunctions

The landlord may obtain an injunction from the court without any notice on the day that the anti-social behaviour occurs. This enables a landlord to apply to the court for a housing injunction to prevent any behaviour which would cause nuisance and annoyance and which either indirectly or directly affects their management of the premises. This makes it easier to exclude those responsible for anti-social behaviour from areas where they have been causing trouble. It also allows for the power of arrest, proceedings for possession and for protection of people in the community.

Pirate radio station closure

Tower Hamlets is now working closely with other London boroughs to close down pirate radio stations that operate in Tower Hamlets.

Witness Support

The council’s team liaises closely with other key services and encourages witnesses to go to court. If a witness feels vulnerable, fears reprisals and is at risk, then the team will provide them with both moral and physical support.

The team makes sure that witnesses feel safe at their residence and can provide further safety steps by supplying a fireproof letter box, a spy-hole camera and personal alarms. The team also briefs witnesses throughout the court process and makes sure that the witnesses feel confident and are able to give their evidence in front of a judge.

Further information

For further information, please contact an anti-social behaviour investigation officer in your area on one of the following telephone numbers:

• Bethnal Green Tel: 020 7364 6259
• Bow & North Poplar Tel: 020 7364 6235
• Isle of Dogs & South poplar Tel: 020 7364 6327
• Stepney & Wapping Tel: 0207 364 6326

You can also E-mail: antisocialbehaviour@towerhamlets.gov.uk