It's the latest must-have for the fashion-conscious yob-about-town.

No teenage tearaway's image is complete without a baseball cap but this summer's fashionable accessory for young louts is an Asbo.

Clothing chain New Look's store in Queen's Square, Hastings, has started selling T-shirts emblazoned with the word ASBO' across the front.

The £8 tops also carry the slogan Staying in until 2008', a reference to the curfew orders which usually accompany the court orders.

Last night the shop was accused of cashing in on Hastings being among the leaders of the "Asbo league" for England and Wales. The latest Home Office figures show nine Asbos were issued in Hastings in 2005 which has a population of around 85,000.

The statistics reveal 10.6 of the court orders have been handed out per 100,000 people in the area - more than double the rate for the rest of the county. Nationally 7.65 Asbos have been issued per 100,000 people while the ratio in the South East as a whole is just four per 100,000 people.

The Safer Hastings Partnership - an organisation made up from the police, fire service, local councils and the primary care trust - condemned the shop for promoting Asbos as something to be proud of.

A spokeswoman for the partnership said: "Asbos are not badges of honour and most of those who are subject to Asbos would testify to that. The latest figures I have for Hastings show that at least 60 per cent of local Asbos are not breached, meaning people who are subject to Asbos respecting them and have changed their behaviour."

Godfrey Daniel - an East Sussex county councillor and Hastings borough councillor - said he was angry the New Look shop, which is in his county council ward, was selling a negative image of the town.

He said: "I wish stores would be more responsible and I would rather they sell T-shirts with a more positive message on them, for example, Proud to live in Hastings'.

"Youngsters wearing Asbo slogans do nothing for the image of our town. I'm sure that those who have an Asbo will certainly not be wearing them. What next? Will they be producing shirts with the slogan shoplifter'?."

Hastings was named in January as one of 40 new respect zones' which will share £6 million extra government funding to try to cut the number of youngsters getting into trouble.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "We have not received any complaints but if we do we will deal with them accordingly."

The Queen's Square store's shop supervisor, Joanna Gabb, said she was unsure if Hastings was the only store to receive the shirts.

New Look refused to comment.