Football fans have been warned how to avoid falling foul of the long arm of the law and getting arrested or ending up with a criminal record during the new Premier League season
Football fans have been warned what to avoid unless they want to get arrested and even end up with a criminal record.
As Premier League supporters count down to a new season kicking off on Friday, August 21, thousands of supporters are at risk of ending the new season with a criminal record. Top-tier criminal defence experts warn that ordinary fans are increasingly being caught in a legal net designed for hooligans.
With 2,460 football banning orders currently in force – the highest level since 2011/12 – Olliers is sounding the alarm on how easily a ‘heat of the moment’ decision can lead to a life-changing prosecution. The defence solicitors say the criminalisation of ordinary fans is a growing national concern. And young people (18-34-year-olds) are disproportionately prosecuted.
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At football matches, supporters are policed to a threshold rarely seen at other public events. Under the watchful eye of dedicated football officers, extensive CCTV and body-worn cameras, behaviour that might receive a simple warning elsewhere is being fast-tracked into the criminal justice system.
“Everyone else was doing it” is a phrase that won’t save you from a three-to-ten-year ban. Many fans, particularly younger supporters, do not realise that football-related offences often carry much more severe consequences. For instance, possession of a small amount of a controlled drug that might result in a caution in a high street setting can lead to a full prosecution when it happens in or around a stadium.
To prevent supporters from unwittingly walking into a police station, Olliers has released a “Know Your Rights” guide, identifying the six most common mistakes currently landing fans in the dock:
“It’s only a flare”
Carrying or setting one off can mean arrest and a ban, even if it’s never lit.
“I only threw my cup”
Throwing anything inside a ground can count as an offence, whatever it is.
“I just stepped onto the pitch”
Even after the final whistle, walking onto the pitch can be a criminal offence.
“Everyone was chanting it”
Joining in with discriminatory or grossly offensive chanting can land you in trouble, not just whoever started it.
“I was just following the crowd”
Getting swept into disorder because everyone around you was doing it won’t stand up as a defence.
“I was staying close to my mate”
Tailgating someone into the ground without a ticket is now a specific criminal offence.
Olliers have represented football supporters across the country from their offices in Manchester and London. Criminal defence solicitor Laura Baumanis is calling for the government to review laws she believes are increasingly criminalising ordinary people rather than tackling genuine hooliganism.
Laura said: “Why should supporters of the national sport be treated differently from everyone else? Someone attending a rugby match, cricket ground or music festival is not subject to the same unique criminal restrictions as someone attending a football match. It’s fair to ask whether that distinction is still justified.
“There is no question that violence, racism and genuine disorder should be dealt with robustly. But laws introduced to combat organised football hooliganism are now too often being applied to supporters whose behaviour poses little or no real threat to public safety.
“For many people, a football-related conviction isn’t just a fine. It can lead to a criminal record, a Football Banning Order, surrendering a passport, restrictions on overseas travel and consequences for employment. Those are significant penalties, particularly where the original offence is relatively minor and many of those affected are young people.
“That’s the part that concerns me most. These are often young people at the start of their working lives who are applying for jobs where a criminal record can limit opportunities. A moment of poor judgement on a Saturday afternoon shouldn’t be allowed to define someone’s future, but under the current approach, it often does.
“It is time to stop unnecessarily criminalising football fans.”
The full ‘Know Your Rights’ guide for supporters is available now to ensure a great day at the football doesn’t end with a criminal record.