Home secretary Theresa May has recently taken up the mantle of tackling anti-social behaviour, seemingly with a view of the current system as one of 'give a dog a bad name'.

For critics, the process of achieving ASBOs has much in common with a shaggy dog story – long-winded, delving into minutiae and, in their eyes, resulting an ineffectual punch line. It seems the Government is keen to move the ASBOs' image from one of mangy mutt to best in breed.