FIXED penalty fines for drunken yobs are saving resources and court time, say the police.

In the six-months since on-the-spot fines were introduced, 166 tickets have been issued.

Police say 139 were the lower £40 tickets issued for offences such as being drunk and disorderly.

The remaining 27 were £80 penalties, which are given out for offences such as fighting.

The figures were about the same for other larger towns in Wiltshire.

Max Phesse, a former inspector who runs the penalty ticket unit at Wiltshire Constabulary, said the tickets saved police and court time.

"The feedback from officers is that they are a good idea," he said.

"They save officers from having to fill in paperwork and save court time.

"I would estimate that each ticket saves at least 10-minutes of court time."

Introduced under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 2001, the tickets cover a raft of minor public order and anti-social behaviour offences.

The lower tier also covers offences such as buying alcohol for under-18s and drinking in a public place.

The higher fines are also issued for wasting police time, making hoax 999 calls and throwing fireworks.

Most in Swindon were dished out for being drunk and disorderly and brawling.

The cash generated in Swindon it amounts to nearly £8,000 for the first six-months goes to central Government, not the local police.

The measures were introduced as part of a drive to tackle soaring levels of anti-social behaviour.

Coun Brian Ford, Swindon's cabinet member for community safety, said the measures were a valuable tool in the battle against drink-fuelled disorder.

He said: "I'm looking forward to seeing more handed out. They not only help the police, but the public too because it leads to fewer problems.

"I get many complaints that laws affecting minor offences are not adhered to.

"These allow the police to act without clogging the courts up."

"It is important to tackle drunks, because drink leads to an awful lot of violence."

Tamash Lal