A Wolves fan who mocked the seven people killed in the A66 tragedy has been banned from football for four years. Bradley Aston, 20, pleaded guilty to a public order offence after footage showed him smiling and holding up a mobile phone towards Middlesbrough fans, with the message "Police Killed Your Own" visible on the screen.
The student was arrested at the end of Middlesbrough's 1-0 win over Wolves at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday. He received an eight-week jail term suspended for a year and was told by magistrates in Wolverhampton that he would have been jailed were it not for recent changes to sentencing rules.
Details of the A66 tragedy
Two police officers, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died when a VW Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 crashed into a force vehicle at South Bank, near Middlesbrough. All five occupants of the Passat—Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Michael Robert Cahill, 23—also died at the scene.
Cleveland Police's Chief Constable condemned Aston's "vile" actions for causing distress and anger among her workforce, the wider community, and to officers' families. She said some of her staff may not be able to return to work.
Court proceedings and sentencing
In a statement read to the court, she said: "My officers have faced an unprecedented level of trauma that will stay with them forever. To see such a vile message has created feelings of grief, anger and dismay."
Aston, from the Coalpool area of Walsall, was kept in custody for his own safety after the footage was posted on social media. Deputy district judge Steven Jonas said: "This was unbelievably serious and prior to the passing of the Sentencing Act 2026, there is no doubt in my view that you would be going directly to custody today."
"The words that you used were intended to cause not just maximum offence but, as importantly as that, they were intended to provoke a response. That could have resulted in a substantial disorder."
Defence solicitor Askara Rana said Aston was embarrassed at his actions and acted without thinking. She said: "Not only has he let himself down, he has let his family down, as well as the wider community."
Impact and restrictions
The court heard how the second-year university student was now considering withdrawing from a sport performance analysis course. The deputy district judge accepted that the offence he admitted would have an impact on his proposed career.
Jonas told him he would not impose the maximum football banning order of five years. He said: "You are remorseful and most importantly you are only 20 years old."
He said there had been an element of planning to the showing of the message on the Snapchat app. The offence was aggravated by being committed against those working to protect the public.
Aston, who also works as a driver, was banned from going within three miles of Molineux before, during, and after home games. He was also banned from other grounds and matches at Euro 2028 and ordered to carry out community work. He must pay a £154 victim surcharge and £85 in costs.
