Crime
Three banned after ‘callous’ and ‘unacceptable’ Simon Dobbin chants
Three men – from Yaxley, Chatteris and Eaton Socon – have been banned from attending football matches for three years.
They were part of a group at Peterborough United taunting visiting Cambridge United fans over the attack and subsequent death of a football fan.
Cambridgeshire Police began a major investigation into the incident at the London Road ground on October 29.
It resulted in 47 people at the Weston Homes Stadium that day being identified and interviewed as part of the disorder.
Trying to goad Cambridge Utd fans
Dean Foster, 20, Kyle Mortlock, 23, and Thomas Mott, 22, were among those trying to goad Cambridge United fans, chanting about Simon Dobbin – a fan who tragically died in 2015 from injuries sustained in an attack at a match between Southend and Cambridge.
Inspector Shish Thind, who is leading the investigation, said: “The behaviour from this small group of individuals was wholly unacceptable and incredibly disrespectful.
“While all three have shown remorse for their actions, I hope these sentences serve as a warning that we will not tolerate such behaviour, there is no place for it at our football games.”
Chief Executive Officer of Cambridge United Football Club, Alex Tunbridge, said: “Cambridge United was appalled to hear such unacceptable chants and there can be no justification for such callous acts.
“The chants caused significant distress to the family and friends of Simon Dobbin, as well as the Club and wider fan base.
“Cambridge United will continue to support Nicole and the Dobbin family.”
Admission of using threatening words or behaviour
Foster, Mortlock and Mott appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 17 March, where they admitted using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress – a section 5 public order offence.
All three men have been made subject of a three-year Football Banning Order (FBO) which specifies:
- In the United Kingdom, he is banned from entering any premises for the purpose of attending a football match, including all football grounds in the top seven leagues
- 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
- On the day when Peterborough United are playing at the Weston Homes Stadium in London Road, he will not enter or remain in any area inside a specified boundary between four hours prior to the scheduled kick-off time and three hours after the conclusion of the fixture
- On the day when Peterborough United are playing in a fixture away from the Weston Homes Stadium in London Road, he will not approach, within a two-mile radius of the stadium where the game is taking place, between six hours prior to the scheduled kick-off time and three hours after the end of the game
- Yesterday (Thursday), Eddie Lively, 18, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court where he admitted using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence – a section 4 public order offence.
Foster, of Cornwallis Drive, Eaton Socon, was fined £461 and must also pay £105 in court costs and a £184 victim surcharge.
Mortlock, of Middletons Road, Yaxley, was fined £406 and must also pay £105 in court costs and a £162 victim surcharge.
Mott, of Farriers Gate, Chatteris, was fined £120 and must also pay £105 in court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
To date, 47 people have been identified and interviewed as part of the investigation, 21 of whom have been charged with either a section 4 or section 5 public order offence and one with criminal damage.
Eleven people have already been sentenced, while eight are due to appear in court in the coming weeks.
A breakdown of those arrested and charged are below:
- Trevor Johnson, 45, of Parson Drove, Wisbech, charged with a section 4 public order offence and being drunk and disorderly in a public place, however the latter charge was withdrawn at court. Sentenced on 30 November.
- 17-year-old boy from South Cambridgeshire charged with criminal damage at the Weston Homes Stadium worth up to about £20,000. Pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage worth less than £5,000. Sentenced on 22 February.
- Karl Hart, 46, of New Lakeside, Hampton Vale, Peterborough, charged with a section 4 public order offence. Sentenced on 16 December – 18-month conditional discharge, £105 to pay in costs.
- Mark Watson, 35, of Woodward Drive, Gunthorpe, Peterborough, charged with a section 5 public order offence. Sentenced on 8 March.
- Michael Johnson, 28, of Hammonds Drive, Fengate, Peterborough, charged with a section 4 public order offence. Sentenced on 10 March.
- Liam Hanlon, 43, of Belsize Avenue, Fletton, Peterborough, charged with a section 5 public order offence. Sentenced on 10 March.
- Nicholas Fasulo, 48, of Park Road, Peterborough, charged with a section 4 public order offence. Sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 17 March.
- David Jackson, 47, of Dovecote Close, Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, charged with a section 4 public order offence. Sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 17 March.
- Craig Stockhill, 42, of Saltmarsh, Orton Malborne, Peterborough, charged with a section 4 public order offence. Sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 17 March.
- Thomas Mott, 22, of Farriers Gate, Chatteris, charged with a section 5 public order offence. Sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 17 March.
- Robert Macdonald, 48, of Range Ride, Surrey, charged with a section 5 public order offence. Due at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 31 March.
Other arrests:
A 21-year-old man from Bottisham, Cambridge, who was arrested has been issued with a conditional caution for being in possession of and lighting a flare.
A 17-year-old boy from Bar Hill who was arrested on suspicion of discharging a firework on a public highway and assaulting three emergency service workers is due to answer bail on (17 May).
Four men, aged 18, 20, 20 and 37, all from Peterborough, who were arrested on suspicion of a section 5 public order offence are having no further action taken against them.
Voluntary interviewed and charged:
- Kyle Mortlock, 23, of Middletons Road, Yaxley, has been charged with a section 5 public order offence. Sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 17 March.
- Eddie Lively, 18, of Teversham Road, Fulbourn, Cambridge, has been charged with a section 4 public order offence. Sentenced at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 23 March.
- Finlay Izzard, 19, of Manor Close, Little Wilbraham, Cambridge has been charged with a section 4 public order offence. Due at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.
- Jay Creek, 20, of Cadwin Field, Cambridge, has been charged with a section 4 public order offence. Due at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.
- Matthew Hunter, 20, of Upton Lane, Littleport, Ely, has been charged with a section 4 public order offence. Due at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.
- Oscar Thompson, 18, of Fallowfield, Cambridge, has been charged with a section 4 public order offence. Due at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.
- William Tompkins, 26, of Mill Common Road, Ridlington, North Walsham, Norfolk, has been charged with a section 4 public order offence. Due at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.
- Sebastian Reho, 38, of Bread and Meat Close, Warwick, has been charged with a section 5 public order offence. Due at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 14 April.
- Andrew Wells, 53, of Barnards Lane, Watlington, Kings Lynn, has been charged with a section 4 public order offence. Due at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 4 May.
- Lewis Byton, 21, of King Street, Over, has been charged with a section 5 public order offence. Sentenced at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 23 March.
- Dean Foster, 20, of Cornwallis Drive, Eaton Socon, has been charged with a section 5 public order offence. Sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 17 March.
Voluntary interviewed:
A 45-year-old man from Great Shelford, two men aged 20 and 55, both from Chatteris, and four men aged 20, 29, 29 and 56, all from Peterborough, were all interviewed in connection with a section 4 public order offence. All received conditional cautions.
A 17-year-old boy from Buckden was interviewed in connection with a section 5 public order offence. He has been issued a community resolution.
Three men interviewed in connection with either a section 4 or section 5 public order offence remain under investigation.
Eight men interviewed in connection with section 4 or section 5 public order offences are having no further action taken against them.
