Graffiti yobs caught defacing buildings will have to clean it up in just 48 hours under tough new rules

YOBS caught defacing public buildings will have to clean it up in just 48 hours under tough new rules.

It is part of a new strategy to crack down on antisocial behaviour due to be unveiled by ministers within weeks.

Cops will be told to dole out swift “visible justice” to thugs who make their neighbours’ lives a misery through bad behaviour.

Under the changes, people caught red-handed graffitiing public buildings will be told to clean up the exact spot they have defaced.

And in some parts of the country, pilots will be launched to get the culprits to have to carry out the clean-up community service within 48 hours of being caught.

A Whitehall source said: “This is about carrying out lightning quick justice so communities can see that thugs who deface their towns will not get away with it.”

The tougher community service punishments will be dished out instead of going to court.

Downing Street is expected to announce the measures at the end of the month.

The Sun on Sunday has previously revealed that cops could also be handed new powers to carry out on the spot drug swaps as part of the crackdown.

While nitrous oxide - known as hippy crack - could also be banned.

The dangerous craze to in hale the dangerous drug via balloons has swept Britain over the past decade.

Dozens of people have died because of the drug over the past 20 years.

Anti social behaviour will be a key battleground of the next election.

Public confidence in the police’s ability to tackle the blight has crumbled.

A Government spokesperson said: “We know anti-social behaviour can make life miserable for many and can be a gateway to more serious crimes. That’s why shortly we’ll publish an action plan outlining how we’ll work tirelessly across government to tackle it.

“We are already injecting record funds into policing and recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers. Our safer streets fund is also putting money into local projects to help tackle neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour."