Two Fans Receive First Banning Orders for Tailgating
Three arrests were made for unauthorised entry at the Carabao Cup final.
Two men have become the first in England to be convicted under a new law targeting tailgating incidents at football matches, following the Carabao Cup final held last month.
New legislation addressing unauthorised entry to football matches was introduced prior to Manchester City's 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on 22 March.
Under this legislation, police arrested and charged three men for unauthorised entry. The first two individuals have been issued with three-year football banning orders.
Kamal McEwan was fined £471 for unauthorised entry, while Alex Clark received a fine of £1,862 for unauthorised entry and possession of a Class A drug.
Both rulings were confirmed at Willesden Magistrates' Court on 10 April. The third man involved is scheduled to appear in court on 1 May.
"This new legislation is already having a real and immediate impact," said Wembley Stadium director Mark Lynch.
"Previously, there were no specific criminal penalties for those trying to enter the stadium without a ticket, placing significant pressure on our crowd safety teams. This new legislation now closes that gap and ensures offenders are dealt with appropriately.
"These cases send a clear message that any attempt to gain unauthorised access to football matches will not be tolerated and will result in firm action including large fines and lengthy football banning orders."
Chief Inspector Pete Dearden, of the Metropolitan Police, stated: "Our officers acted quickly and decisively at the Carabao Cup final, and these convictions demonstrate that antisocial, dangerous and criminal behaviour at football matches will be met with firm enforcement action."
He added that police will continue to collaborate with the Football Association and other partners to "prevent the minority who seek to cause harm or disruption from doing so."
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