Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014

Summary

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 overhauled the law on anti-social behaviour in England & Wales, streamlining a patchwork of earlier orders into a smaller set of faster, more flexible powers. It replaced the Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) with two new tools — the civil injunction (Part 1) and the Criminal Behaviour Order (Part 2) — and introduced community protection notices, public spaces protection orders, and closure powers (Part 4). It also created the 'community trigger' (the ASB case review), gave social landlords a new absolute ground for possession, and made forced marriage a criminal offence.

Key Points

• Civil injunction (Part 1, ss.1-21) replaced the ASBO for civil cases — granted on the balance of probabilities where conduct is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance (housing) or harassment, alarm or distress
• Criminal Behaviour Order (Part 2, ss.22-33) replaced the post-conviction ASBO, available on conviction for any offence
• Community protection notices and public spaces protection orders (Part 4, ss.43-75) tackle persistent environmental ASB and regulate behaviour in defined public areas
• Closure powers (Part 4, ss.76-93) allow premises associated with nuisance or disorder to be closed quickly
• ASB case review / 'community trigger' (Part 6, s.104) lets victims require agencies to review their response to repeated complaints
• Forced marriage made a criminal offence (s.121), with anonymity for victims (s.122A)

Parts & Sections

Amendments History