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Just over half of people given Asbos have breached them and one third have done so on five or more occasions, according to research out yesterday.

The study, carried out by the National Audit Office, also found there was a “hard core of individuals” for whom antisocial behaviour interventions had a “limited impact”.

The study looked at the impact of three of the most commonly-used interventions: warning letters, acceptable behaviour contracts and antisocial behaviour orders.

It found that around 65 per cent of the sample of 893 people who received some form of intervention did not engage in further antisocial behaviour but that the other recipients were not deterred.

It also said that 20 per cent received 55 per cent of all the interventions issued.

Forty per cent of people given an Asbo had received an earlier antisocial behaviour intervention and 80 per cent had previous criminal convictions.

Paul Cavadino, chief executive of crime reduction charity Nacro, said: “These findings show that Asbos are a blunt instrument, which have been oversold as an answer to antisocial behaviour.”