The hard line taken by South Yorkshire Police - who have vowed to prosecute repeat offenders - is an attempt to wipe out the city's seedy sex industry by frightening enough punters away to make it no longer worthwhile for women and girls to ply their trade on the streets.

It is hoped a lack of demand will encourage prostitutes to seek treatment for drug problems which drive most of them on to the streets.

Police chiefs have worked with partner agencies to draw up a new policy for those caught plying their trade and the men who pay them.

Vice girls will be given four chances to turn their lives around before being issued with an Anti-Social Behaviour Order if they are caught a fifth time, which could land them in jail if they breach it.

Kerb-crawlers have to sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract the first time they are found with a prostitute and will be issued with an ASBO if they are caught a second time.

Of the 37 men arrested during the four-month crackdown, none were known to police before but they are all now regarded as sex offenders and have their DNA profiles on the national database.

It means if they have committed undetected crimes in the past the law could catch up with them if they left DNA profiles at the scene.

Inspector Neil Mutch, from the city centre Safer Neighbourhood Team which patrols the red light district, said: "We have been actively targeting men who use and exploit the women because reducing demand should hopefully have a knock-on effect and reduce supply.

"We tend to find that once a man has been caught they don't tend to come back because they are warned of the consequences of breaching an ASBO - jail."

Insp Mutch said he hopes prostitutes use the latest crackdown as an opportunity to address their drug problems.

He said: "Most of the women have issues with drugs, so taking them to court and fining them doesn't address their problems, but under this new system every time we find them they will be referred to agencies who can help them.

"This approach is about tackling the issue at all levels - about helping the women address their problems and demonstrating to residents affected by prostitution that we are taking their concerns seriously.

"Nobody wants to put up with finding used condoms outside their homes and syringes, but that is the reality for some people and we are addressing that."

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