Antisocial behaviour orders are failing to prevent persistent offenders in the borough from causing their neighbours misery.

Almost two thirds of all Asbos handed out to nuisance residents in the past three years have been breached, forcing authorities to haul offenders back through the courts and hand out stiffer penalties.

Asbos are imposed by courts, after an application by local authorities, to curb antisocial behaviour such as vandalism or excessive drinking by imposing restrictions on its subject's actions.

Breaching an Asbo is a criminal offence and anyone who does so can be jailed for up to five years.

Figures obtained by this paper show that in the past three years Barnet Council has successfully applied for 34 Asbos, with only three of those last year. In the same period the number of orders breached steadily increased to 21.

However, a Home Office spokesman refuted the suggestion that the figures were evidence of Asbos failing to deter antisocial behaviour.

He said: "It shows the system is working by bringing perpetrators, who have chosen to break the law, back to court where the community can see that there are consequences for antisocial behaviour.

"It shows that Asbos have teeth."

Some of the orders have been breached repeatedly, however, with three individuals responsible for 27 breaches alone last year.

Councillor Brian Coleman, cabinet member for community engagement and community safety, said the council only uses Asbos as "a last resort".

He added: "The council is committed to making Barnet the safest London borough and working with partners to reduce antisocial behaviour and the fear of crime.

"The number of Asbo applications has decreased as the council always tries to resolve the problems by early warnings - intervention, acceptable behaviour contracts or mediation, an approach which we have found is more likely to work when tackling antisocial behaviour."