What an ASBO does
If you're given an ASBO, the order tells you what you must stop doing. It can tell you:
- to stay away from certain places
- not to contact or see named people
- to stop doing certain activities such as writing graffiti
If you break the order, you could be fined, receive a community sentence or get sentenced to prison for up to five years.
Eligible to apply for an antisocial behaviour order
Applications for ASBOs can be made by:
- Police Service of Northern Ireland
- councils
- the Housing Executive
They apply to a magistrate's court. ASBOs can also be made along with sentencing for a criminal offence. An ASBO is a civil order. Unless the terms of the order are broken, the offender won't get a criminal record.
More useful links
- Crime prevention and community safety
- Police Service of Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Housing Executive
- Local councils in Northern Ireland