A man has been prohibited from attending football matches after being charged with tailgating at a football game, marking the first such incident according to police reports.
Benjamin Bailey, a 27-year-old from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was apprehended at the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on March 22. He was charged with tailgating for entering the stadium without a valid ticket.
Bailey confessed to the offense at Willesden Magistrates’ Court and received a three-year football ban along with a £230 fine, as confirmed by the HM Courts & Tribunals Service.
This case is believed to be the inaugural one of its kind, occurring subsequent to tailgating being classified as a criminal offense. Those convicted of tailgating across England and Wales could face a football banning order lasting up to five years and a fine of up to £1,000.
The criminalization of tailgating was implemented before the Carabao Cup final, five years after a chaotic incident where numerous ticketless fans unlawfully accessed the same stadium prior to the Euro 2020 final.
The introduction of this legislation followed severe disorder during the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy, which posed risks to lives as fans breached the stadium. A subsequent review by Baroness Louise Casey highlighted the necessity for such measures.
Previously, there were no specific legal penalties for unauthorized entry at football games, a gap addressed by the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act. This act also prohibits the use of forged tickets, passes, or accreditation to gain entry, as well as impersonating stadium or playing staff members.
These regulations were drafted following an evaluation of the Uefa European Championship final at Wembley in July 2021. Baroness Casey identified over 20 instances where ticketless individuals attempted to gain entry, potentially leading to serious injuries or fatalities.
Around 100,000 individuals attended the final at Wembley, with approximately 2,000 gaining entry without tickets. There were 17 significant breaches of security in the 90 minutes prior to kick-off and during the subsequent penalty shootout.
Baroness Casey attributed the blame for the incident to individuals without tickets, describing it as a “national shame” due to the risks posed to attendees. She emphasized that responsibility for endangering lives lies with those who illegally attempted to access the stadium.