Britain is perceived as one of the most loutish countries in Europe

Matt Weaver:

The poll, taken in six European countries including the UK, found that 76% of respondents thought Britain had a "big or moderate problem" with antisocial behaviour - a higher percentage than for any of the other countries involved.

Despite riots in the country's suburbs in November, France was rated just behind the UK (75%), followed by Germany (61%), Italy (52%) and Spain (51%). The Netherlands (44%) were at the bottom of the list.

The survey, which was conducted by University College London's Jill Dando institute of crime for the security firm ADT, found that 95% agreed that antisocial behaviour was a big or moderate problem.

The survey also revealed a sharp contrast in national attitudes to tackling unruly behaviour. It found that in Germany, six out of 10 people would challenge a group of 14-year-olds vandalising a bus shelter, but in Britain six out of ten would not.

"These perceptions, both inside and outside of Britain, are worrying," said Adrian Casey, the managing director of ADT Europe & South Africa.

"We have to seriously ask what sort of reception our fans travelling to the football World Cup and Brits on holiday abroad will receive when the rest of Europe perceives us to have such a problem with troublemakers.

"Government and policy makers may challenge them with statistics on crime and disorder, but as a nation we don't believe this situation is under control."

A breakdown of discipline in British homes and schools was seen as a factor by 79% of respondents, and nearly half believed stricter sentencing would help tacklethe problem. It also found that two thirds of Britons thought drink was a key factor.

"This research is a wake-up call. We know antisocial behaviour is a major issue in Great Britain and the rest of Europe clearly agrees," said Professor Gloria Laycock of the Jill Dando Institute.

"The study shows people believe it is fuelled by the excessive consumption of alcohol. Increasing our access to alcohol cannot be the answer and it is time that the government addressed perceptions of this problem."

Across Europe the top three concerns about behaviour were vandalism (70%), rowdy behaviour (59%) and disrespectful behaviour (58%).

In France and Italy, residential housing estates were seen as the location of greatest risk. For the Germans it was transport termini, for the British and Spanish around bars, nightclubs and pubs and for the Dutch in shopping areas.

The survey was carried out in January and questioned just over a 1,000 people in the six countries concerned.

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