Yobs fitted with ‘sobriety tags’ to monitor alcohol

A scheme which fits alcohol-fuelled offenders with ankle tags to detect alcohol in their sweat has been extended and could roll out across the UK.

Overall, 91% of offenders reaching the mandated 120-day period without drinking

London major Boris Johnson launched the year-long trial, which saw 111 people in the south London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Southwark and Sutton issued with “alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement” orders and fitted with the tags.

The scheme is a “success”, with 91% of offenders reaching the mandated 120-day period without drinking, and has been extended for six months with the potential to roll out across the capital before possibly going national.

Anyone who was found breaching their sobriety order, either by drinking alcohol or tampering with their tag, was given a formal warning. A second breach leads to a fine or a tougher order, or in some cases a prison sentence.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson told The Guardian: “Alcohol-fuelled crimes put a massive strain on frontline services and cost businesses and taxpayers billions of pounds.

“From drink-driving, to assault, theft, and criminal damage, our sobriety tags have proved a fantastic success in helping offenders across south London to stay off the booze and avoid the circumstances under which they might reoffend.

“It’s now time to bring this exciting new crime-fighting technology to the rest of the capital, and help remove the scourge of alcohol-fuelled criminal behaviour from all of London’s streets.”

Earlier this year, data compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that people are most likely to become a vicitim of alcohol-related crime at around 11pm on a Friday night.