Crime
Banned from every football ground in the country for 3 years
A Wisbech man has been given a three-year ban from attending any football stadium in the UK.
Six others alleged to have been part of disturbances at the Peterborough United v Cambridge derby game on October 29 have been arrested and bailed.
This result is the first conviction to come as part of a post-match investigation which was launched by Cambridgeshire Constabulary, with the support of both clubs, to take action against anyone identified as committing criminal offences.
Part of their bail conditions prohibit all of them from attending any Peterborough United home or away matches or any other regulated football matches.
Trevor Johnson, 45, was initially arrested outside Asda in Rivergate after the game which began at 3pm on Saturday October 29.
He was part of a group which ran across the car park towards a group of Cambridge fans, goading them into fighting.
Police intervened, however Johnson began shouting expletives at officers and became aggressive, before walking into a moving vehicle, resulting in his arrest for being drunk and disorderly in a public place.
Due to a large amount of disorder surrounding the game, an investigation was launched, and Johnson was arrested for a second time on 11 November.
CCTV and body-cam footage showed Johnson gesturing towards away supporters during the game and being part of the disorder as fans left the Weston Homes Stadium in London Road, Peterborough.
Police intervened after disorder broke out between the two sides, with Johnson turning on his fellow Posh supporters, pushing another fan and squaring up to police.
Johnson was seen to lead a group to charge forward in an attempt to break through the police lines.
Johnson, of Parson Drove, Wisbech, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on November 30 where he admitted a section 4 public order offence – namely using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence.
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order – having to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work, must pay £199 in costs and is subject of a three-year Football Banning Order (FBO).
The order specifies:
- In the United Kingdom, he is banned from entering any premises for the purpose of attending a football match
- Outside the United Kingdom, he must report to a police station according to instructions that will be notified to the defendant by the Football Banning Orders Authority
- The defendant must surrender any travel authorisation document (passport, identity card, or any other form of travel authorisation) in the defendant’s name according to instructions notified by the Football Banning Orders Authority
- To not go within a specified area of any regulated football match involving Peterborough United, played at Weston Homes Stadium, London Road, between four hours preceding the advertised kick-off time and three hours after the conclusion of the match
- When Peterborough United are playing an away fixture, to not go within a two-mile radius of the stadium where the game is taking place, between six hours preceding the advertised kick-off time and three hours after the conclusion of the match
This result is the first conviction to come as part of a post-match investigation which was launched by Cambridgeshire Constabulary, with the support of both clubs, to act against anyone identified as committing criminal offences.
Detective Sergeant Shish Thind, who is leading the investigation, said: “Johnson was clearly trying to incite violence between fans, before turning his aggression to the police.
“This behaviour is not acceptable at any point, especially at what should be a community event where families and children were present.
“The majority of supporters behaved responsibly at the match, however, there were a small number who chose to behave in a wholly unacceptable way, and this behaviour has been condemned by both clubs.
“Our investigation is very much underway, and we will continue to take action against those identified as having committed offences.”
Anyone with information about the disorder can report online and quote Operation Rookery. Those without internet access should call 101.
UPDATE
This week police have made six further arrests.
A 16-year-old boy from Peterborough was arrested on suspicion of S5 Public Order Act.
Five men aged 35, 42, 43, 47, 48 and 56, from Peterborough, were arrested on suspicion of affray.
All six have been bailed with conditions not to go to any Peterborough United home or away matches or any other regulated football matches.
