Offenders 'could have iPods seized'

Offenders could be stripped of prized possessions such as iPods under proposals to give police better powers to tackle anti-social behaviour, the Home Office has said.

Authorities would also be forced to take action if several people in the same neighbourhood complain or if one victim complains three times with no action being taken.

The “community trigger”, one of a raft of proposals which form part of a Government consultation on anti-social behaviour, comes after Fiona Pilkington killed herself and her disabled daughter Francecca in 2007 after being hounded by youths outside their home in Leicestershire.

Crime Prevention Minister James Brokenshire said: “For too long anti-social behaviour has wreaked havoc in our communities and ruined decent people’s lives. It is time for a new approach that better supports victims and makes it easier for the authorities to take fast, effective action.

“This consultation sets out how we propose to tackle this stubborn problem, ensuring the most vulnerable in our communities are protected from the cowards and bullies who carry on in such an offensive manner. It is important there is no let-up – local areas must continue to use the most appropriate powers available to them.”

In the consultation document, the Home Office said it was working with the Ministry of Justice on proposals “to increase the use of asset seizure as a sanction for criminal offences. For example, to explore whether there are particular types of offender for whom seizing assets might be effective and proportionate.”

It added that the Government was also considering seizing an offender’s passport as a “useful additional sanction”.

Asbos, Criminal Asbos and a whole range of other measures will be replaced with Criminal Behaviour Orders and Crime Prevention Injunctions, Mr Brokenshire said.

The orders will ban an individual from certain activities or places while the injunctions will be designed to nip bad behaviour in the bud before it escalates. They will also need a lower level of proof than the criminal orders.

Mr Brokenshire also suggested that offenders could be banned from taking holidays abroad as an incentive to comply with any court orders. “We’re looking at a range of issues that might have an impact on how people behave,” he said.