A man has been charged over allegedly entering the Carabao Cup final at Wembley without a ticket, in the first charge for tailgating at a football match, according to the Metropolitan Police.
What is Tailgating?
Tailgating is when fans get through stadium turnstiles by walking closely behind ticket holders. This practice became a criminal offence ahead of the match, five years after thousands of ticketless fans stormed the same stadium during the Euro 2020 final.
Legal Consequences
Offenders across England and Wales who are convicted of tailgating now face a football banning order of up to five years as well as a fine of up to £1,000. This marks a significant shift, as there were previously no specific legal penalties for attending a football game without a ticket.
Details of the Arrest
Benjamin Bailey, 27, of Oldham, Manchester, was arrested at Sunday afternoon’s final between Manchester City and Arsenal. He was charged with tailgating hours later at 7.45pm and will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on May 1.
Additional Arrests and Statistics
Two other men were arrested on suspicion of the same offence at Wembley and remain in police custody. In a positive development, the Met reported a 78% reduction in offences at this year’s final compared to last year. A total of 20 arrests were made on Sunday, down from 91 arrests at the same fixture last year.
The arrests this year included seven for affray, one for assault of an emergency service worker, and one for racially aggravated assault. Additionally, a man was arrested on suspicion of tailgating at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the north London team faced Nottingham Forest, and he has been bailed pending further investigation.
Background and Legislation
The new legislation was introduced following serious disorder when England played Italy at the Euro 2020 final. A subsequent review by Baroness Louise Casey found that lives were put at risk when supporters broke into Wembley Stadium. Her findings highlighted that sanctions on breaking into stadiums were weak and recommended that tailgating should become a criminal offence.
Casey Review Findings
Baroness Casey identified more than 20 “near misses” that could have resulted in serious injury or death during the Euro 2020 final. Around 100,000 people travelled to Wembley for the final, with approximately 2,000 gaining entry without tickets. There were 17 mass breaches of the gates in the 90 minutes before kick-off until the penalty shootout.
Broader Context
The Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act also makes it illegal to knowingly try to enter a match with forged tickets, passes, and accreditation documents, as well as by pretending to be a member of stadium or playing staff. This follows not only the Euro 2020 incidents but also problems encountered by Liverpool supporters during their Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris in 2022, where authorities were found to be at fault despite attempts to blame Liverpool fans.
Police Response and Future Plans
Chief Inspector Pete Dearden, from the Met’s public order unit and match commander at Wembley, stated: “So much strategic planning goes into these operations. We expect high standards and every officer delivered that today. Huge changes have been implemented since last year, and we will now use the success of the policing operation today as a blueprint throughout the busy summer at Wembley so fans can safely enjoy upcoming fixtures.”
