Courts will be given extra powers to impose rules and curfews on anyone aged 12 or over who may be carrying a knife, the Home Office has announced.

The Asbo-style powers, called knife crime prevention orders (KCPOs), are civil orders that can be imposed on people who the courts believe pose a threat to the public through the use of a bladed weapon.

The powers will be introduced as part of the Offensive Weapons Act, which is attempting to tackle knife crime and serious violence.

KCPOs could allow the courts to impose curfews and place restrictions on a person's movements and internet use, along with preventing them from associating with certain people and activities.

Priti Patel, the home secretary, claimed the measures would “stop acids and knives making their way onto our streets and being used to carry out horrifying attacks.”

The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Show all 18 1 /18 The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Purple ribbons are seen tied to a tree and fence at a park near to where 17-year-old Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death in an attack with no obvious motive, in the Harold Hill area of London. Chesney was stabbed in an unprovoked attack while out with friends on March 1, 2019. Four males aged 16, 17, 19 and 20 have been charged with her murder which all four deny. In honour of her favourite colour, purple ribbons were tied to a railing, alongside a message also written in purple: "Choose life, drop the knife! RIP Jodie. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Floral tributes and bottles of alcohol are seen outside the house where 20-year-old Tyrelle Burke was stabbed to death, in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester. Burke was stabbed to death on April 5, outside his home by a friend following a night out. 18-year-old Denver Walton was charged with his murder. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims A woman walks past floral tributes near to where 29-year-old Joshua White was stabbed to death, in the Hackney area of London. Joshua White died after he was stabbed through the heart in broad daylight on April 26. Two teenagers have been charged with his murder, and police are attempting to extradite an 18-year-old from Ireland in relation to the attack. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Floral tributes and photographs are left at the spot where 17-year-old Yousef Makki was stabbed to death, in Hale Barns. Makki was stabbed to death on March 2 during a row with another boy. A 17-year-old boy was cleared of his murder by a jury at Manchester Crown Court on July 12. Makki's family have protested against the verdict. Photography by Reuters The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Floral tributes and packets of crisps and a chocolate bar are tied to a fence where 21-year-old James Halewood was stabbed to death, in the Kirkby area of Liverpool. Halewood was stabbed to death in broad daylight outside a parade of shops at lunchtime on July 7. Two men aged 26 and 23 have been arrested in connection with his death. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Graffiti on a fence of an industrial unit near to where 18-year-old Hazrat Umar was killed, in the Bordesley Green area of Birmingham. Umar was killed after being stabbed 15 times in an unprovoked attack on February 25, on his way to the gym. Adam Muhammad, 17, a student at the same college, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment for his murder. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Floral tributes are seen tied to a pedestrian crossing near to where 40-year-old Gavin Garraway was stabbed to death, in the Clapham area of London. Garroway was stabbed to death through the window of his car on March 29. Zion Chiata, 18, has been charged with his murder. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Floral tributes and teddy bears are seen outside a house where 26-year-old Kelly-Mary Fauvrelle and her unborn baby where stabbed to death, in the Croydon area of London. Fauvrelle was stabbed to death in the bedroom of her home in the early hours of June 29. Her baby boy, Riley, was delivered but also died four days later. Ex-partner Aaron McKenzie has been charged with her murder and causing the death of the baby. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Flowers are tied to the entrance of Sara Park near to where 16-year-old Abdullah Muhammad was killed in the Small Heath area of Birmingham. Abdullah died after suffering stab wounds to the chest and back in the evening of February 20. Three males aged 17, 19 and 20 have been charged in connection with his murder. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims The remains of candles and tributes are seen near to where 19-year-old Kamali Gabbidon-Lynck was stabbed to death, in the Wood Green area of London. Gabbidon-Lynck died after he was stabbed by a gang on bicycles on February 22, in an incident which left another man suffering from knife and gunshot wounds. Three men aged 18, 19 and 20 have been charged with murder, attempted murder and robbery. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims A woman pushes a pram past a row of houses where 33-year-old Charlotte Huggins was stabbed to death, in south London. Huggins was the first stabbing victim of 2019, stabbed in the back at her home in the early hours of New Year's Day. Her ex-boyfriend Michael Rolle was found guilty of her murder and jailed for life. He stabbed Huggins after she celebrated New Year's eve with a male friend. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Floral tributes are left at the spot where 18-year-old Cheyon Evans was stabbed to death, in the Wandsworth area of London. Evans died from a stab wound to the chest after being attacked by a group of youths in broad daylight on June 14. Three males aged 18, 18 and 17 have been charged with his murder. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Lanfrey Place is where 17-year-old Ayub Hassan died after suffering multiple stab wounds in the street, in the West Kensington area of London. Hassan was killed after his attack on March 7. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with his murder. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Floral tributes are left near to where 21-year-old Lewis Bagshaw was stabbed to death, in the Southey area of Sheffield. Bagshaw collapsed and died on July 21, when seeking help from residents of Piper Crescent after suffering stab wounds. Police investigations into his death are ongoing. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Flowers and toys are left at the scene where 19-year-old Lejean Richards was stabbed to death, in the Battersea area of London. Richards was attacked and fatally stabbed on February 5. Roy Reyes-Nieves, 23, and Roger Reyes-Nieves, 18, have been charges with his murder. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims A man walks past floral tributes left near to where 24-year-old Joe O'Brien died after being stabbed in a fight outside a pub, in Manchester. O'Brien died following a fight outside the Royal Oak pub on April 21. Momodou Jallow, 21, has been charged with his murder. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims Flowers are seen near to where 29-year-old Nathaniel Armstrong was stabbed to death, in the Fulham area of London. Armstrong was stabbed to death during an altercation on March 16. Murder charges against a 29-year-old male were dropped after prosecutors said there was no realistic prospect of conviction. Reuters/Phil Noble The makeshift shrines to Britain's knife crime victims A police officer stands outside a row of terraced houses where 33-year-old nurse Saima Riaz was stabbed to death, in Rochdale. Riaz, a mother of three, was found on April 23. 36-year-old Mohammed Abid Choudhry has been charged with her murder. Reuters/Phil Noble

Details of the orders were included in draft guidance published by the Home Office on Thursday.

When KCPOs were first proposed in January by then-home secretary Sajid Javid, the orders received a mixed response.

Duncan Ball, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for knife crime, said the orders would bolster police powers amid increased patrols and stop and search measures.

However, Sarah Jones MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime, said KCPOs risk "criminalising a generation of young people who have grown up unsupported and who often turn to carrying weapons out of fear."

The announcement today comes as the government is under pressure to act on knife crime after a spate of recent attacks on police officers and members of the public.

In the last seven days, four people have died, including two teenagers, and another has been injured in stabbings around the country.

On 8 August, Metropolitan Police officer Stuart Outten received multiple stab wounds when he was attacked while on duty in Leyton, east London.

The KCPOs announcement comes days after a different Home Office campaign was labelled “embarrassing” and “racist” for its attempt to tackle knife crime.

Food boxes carrying a #knifefree logo were announced on Wednesday and rolled out to more than 210 takeaway chicken outlets in England and Wales, such as Morley’s and Dixy Chicken.

Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said the campaign was “offensive”.

"Instead of investing in a public health approach to violent crime, the Home Office have opted for yet another crude, offensive and probably expensive campaign,” she said in a statement on Twitter.

In response to the backlash, Ms Patel defended the scheme and claimed Ms Abbott was “playing politics with knife crime”.