Loading article…
The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 (c. 38) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which almost entirely applies only to England and Wales.
The act, championed by then Home Secretary, David Blunkett, was passed in 2003. As well as strengthening the anti-social behaviour order and Fixed Penalty Notice provisions, and banning spray paint sales to people under the age of 16, it gives local councils the power to order the removal of graffiti from private property.
It also specifically addressed truancy, drug houses,[1] false reports of emergency, fireworks, public drunkenness and gang activity.
Until October 2014, Part I of the Act ("Premises where drugs used unlawfully") enabled the police to close residential premises concerned in the use, production or supply of Class A drugs and which were associated with serious nuisance or disorder to members of the public in the preceding three months.[2][3] After such a notice had been served, within 48 hours a magistrates' court had to consider the application, and could make a closure order under Section 2, known as a "Class A drug, supply, distribution or production premises closure Order". The effect of such an order was that no-one could lawfully enter the premises whilst the order was in place, and it became a criminal offence to do so.[4]
2008 年 12 月[ 5 ]から 2014 年 10 月までの間、同法のパート 1A (「継続的な無秩序または迷惑に関連する施設」) により、パート 1A 閉鎖命令または反社会的行為閉鎖命令が制定されました。[ 6 ] [ 7 ] 2003 年法のセクション 11A-11L では、警察または地方自治体が、過去 3 か月以内に[ 8 ]施設が「重大かつ継続的な無秩序または継続的な深刻な迷惑」に関連していたと確信した場合、施設の閉鎖を治安判事に申請することが認められていました。[ 9 ] この命令は、事業用施設または居住用施設に対して発令される可能性があります。[ 10 ] パート 1 命令 (クラック ハウス閉鎖命令) と同様に、命令の期間中、施設内に留まる、または再入場することは犯罪となりました。[ 11 ]
第1部および第1A部は、2014年10月20日に反社会的行為、犯罪および警察法2014附則11(1)第41項(a)により廃止されました。
第 II 部 (「住宅」) では、住宅法が改正され、社会住宅組織が反社会的行為に関する方針を採用し公表することが義務付けられました。また、登録社会住宅所有者(RSL) が近隣住民に迷惑や不快感を与えるテナントに対して措置を講じる権限も強化されました。その権限の一つは、郡裁判所の命令により安定した賃貸借契約を「格下げ」できるというもので、少なくとも理論上は立ち退きが容易になりました。[ 12 ] さらに重要な規定として、RSL が住宅ストックの近隣住民に迷惑や不快感を与える人々に対して差止命令を申請できる仕組みが提供されました。2003 年法の第 13 条は、1996 年住宅法第 V 部 (「テナントの行為」) を改正し、第 152 条および第 153 条を廃止し、新しい第 153A ～ 153E 条を挿入しました。居住者が第153A条の差止命令に違反して居住施設に人を招き入れた場合、その人は犯罪を犯したことになる。[ 13 ]
1996年住宅法第153A条は2015年3月に廃止された。[ 14 ]
第3部（「親の責任」）は、1998年犯罪秩序法によって導入された「養育命令」を改正する。これは、親が子供を管理するために取るべき手順を規定することを目的としている。[ 15 ]また、主に子供の不登校を対象とする「養育契約」も導入している。
Between January 2004 and October 2014, Part IV ("Dispersal of groups etc.") gave the police powers to disperse groups of two or more persons in any public place if their presence "has resulted, or is likely to result, in any members of the public being intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed". There was also a power for a police officer (or PCSO) to accompany any unaccompanied person of under 16 to their home between the hours of 9 pm and 6 am.[16][17] Section 30 did not apply to lawful pickets,[18] although the human rights implications had been considered by the courts on a number of occasions.[19] The power for police to remove a child under s30 was permissive, not coercive.[20]
Part IV was repealed in October 2014 by Sch.11(1) para 41(c) of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Part V ("Firearms") amends the Firearms Act 1968 to make possession of an airgun or an imitation weapon in public an offence. The sale of imitation firearms was further limited by section 36 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (VCRA) which made sale of realistic imitation firearms (RIFs) an offence. Various groups of people who legitimately use RIFs, for work or pleasure, can provide a seller with a defence against prosecution as provided for in section 37 of the VCRA. These groups are set out in regulations made by the Secretary of State, and can be changed at any time.
Part VI ("The Environment") contains a selection of miscellaneous provisions. It gives councils power to serve a closure order on premises causing public nuisance by noise.[21] Councils also now have the power to serve a graffiti removal notice on the person in control (usually the owner) of any surface that is street furniture (such as a telephone box, post box or bus stop) where graffiti has been applied, this legislation does not apply to private property. There is a right of appeal to the magistrates court over such a notice, and one ground for appeal is that 'the defacement is neither detrimental to the amenity of the area nor offensive'. It makes the sale of aerosol paint to any person under 16 illegal.
Part VII ("Public Order and Trespass") amends the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in two main ways. First, the definition of a 'rave' is amended so that only 20 people, rather than 100 must be present. Second the powers of police to move unauthorised travellers' sites are strengthened. This Part also amends the provisions of the Public Order Act 1986 concerning public assemblies. The earlier Act gave the police power to intervene if a public assembly of 20 or more people appeared likely to cause 'serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community'. This Act reduces the number to two.
Part VIII ("High Hedges") is in response to concerns about hedges, typically of Leyland Cypress plants, which can grow to 6 metres or more in height, sometimes cutting out light for neighbours. Such hedges are not controlled by town planning legislation (which normally limits the height of fences to 2 metres), and so there was formerly no way of preventing people from allowing such a hedge to grow. This part of the Act gives local authorities the power to investigate complaints made by people affected by such hedges, and, if necessary, to require their reduction. Councils can charge a fee for dealing with such complaints. Soon after implementation, some councils were charging no fee, while the highest in the country was Sevenoaks, which charged £650.[22]
Part IX ("Miscellaneous") makes some changes to the mechanisms for serving and enforcing anti-social behaviour orders. Section 89 extended the powers of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). The key changes are that PCSOs have the power to stop a cyclist, and accredited support officers or rail community officers can issue FPNs in respect of a number of offences:[23][24]