The majority of them have been for breaches of the peace, urinating in public or drinking on the streets.

However, figures obtained under Freedom of Information showed that 7440 fines — worth a total of £297,600 — had not been paid by the end of last year.

Offenders issued with a notice are given 28 days to pay a £40 fine or request a court hearing.

A Tayside Police spokesperson said, “Back in April 2005, Tayside Police were asked by the Scottish Government to trial fixed penalty notices on behalf of the Scottish police service.

“Since then we have issued over 18,000 fixed penalty notices for anti-social behaviour offences.

“They have proved to be a very effective way of dealing with low-level anti-social behaviour and deliver swift, simple and effective justice that also carries a deterrent effect.

“It is not surprising Tayside have issued the highest number of fixed penalty notices, as other Scottish forces did not start issuing them until 2007.”

Fixed penalty notices were brought in with the aim of saving police and court time by dealing on the spot with a range of low-level offences committed by over-16s.

The force’s policy states fines are only issued in breach of the peace cases at the “minor end of the scale”, such as a disturbance involving a person shouting and swearing. Tickets will not be handed out where there is an identifiable victim, a weapon is brandished, there’s a racial or religious aggravation, or the incident is of a sexual nature.

Other offences attracting tickets in Tayside included refusing to leave licensed premises, riotous drunken behaviour in licensed premises, vandalism and malicious mischief.

Vandalism and malicious mischief cases can only be dealt with by way of the on-the-spot fines “where there is minor damage caused to property”.

It’s understood Fife Constabulary has handed out 4919 fixed penalties for anti-social behaviour since it introduced the measure in May 2007.

Across Scotland, 121,764 fines have been issued, more than half of them in the past nine months.