A man has been banned from attending football matches following what police have said is the first conviction for tailgating. Benjamin Bailey, 27, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was arrested at the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on March 22 and admitted the offence at Willesden Magistrates' Court on Friday.
The HM Courts & Tribunals Service said Bailey was handed a three-year football banning order and fined £230. His prosecution is believed to be the first of its kind after tailgating was made a criminal offence in England and Wales.
Tailgating involves non-ticket holders following paying fans through turnstiles to gain entry to matches. Offenders convicted of the offence face a football banning order of up to five years and a fine of up to £1,000.
The criminal offence was introduced ahead of this year's Carabao Cup final, five years after thousands of ticketless fans stormed the same stadium before the Euro 2020 final. An independent review by Baroness Louise Casey found more than 20 "near misses" that could have resulted in serious injury or death, with around 2,000 people entering without tickets.
Bailey's conviction also falls under the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act, which makes it illegal to knowingly use forged tickets, passes or accreditation documents, or to pretend to be stadium or playing staff. Baroness Casey previously described the Euro 2020 disorder as a "national shame", saying responsibility for the risk to human life lay with individuals without tickets.
