Cambridge United “fans” Given Banning Orders

A group of Cambridge United supporters have been sentenced after starting a fight with opposition fans. 

John Morwood, 20, Jake Needham, 18, Charlie Cambridge, 19 and Cameron Yallop, 19, attended Cambridge United’s away League One fixture against Lincoln City at Sincil Bank, Lincoln, on 28 January.

The group were walking back to Lincoln Railway Station after the game when they became aggressive towards Lincoln City fans before starting a fight in which one man fell to the ground and was kicked.

Morwood, Cambridge and Needham were arrested at the scene, while Yallop was later identified by officers and interviewed.  

On Wednesday (22 March), three of the group were sentenced at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court.

Morwood, of Lemur Drive, Cambridge; Needham, of Cromwell Road, Cambridge; and Cambridge, of Hazelwood Close, Cambridge, all received community orders for a year with unpaid work requirements, as well three-year football banning orders, having pleaded guilty to Section 4 public order offences.
Yallop, of Campkin Road, Cambridge, appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on March 29, and was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work along with £199 in costs, as well as receiving a three-year football banning order, having pleaded guilty to a Section 4 public order offence.

The football banning order handed to the group specifies:

- In Britain, they are banned from entering any premises for the purpose of attending a football match.

- Outside of Britain, they 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 Cambridge United are playing in a regulated football match at the Abbey Stadium, Newmarket Road, the person will not during the period commencing six hours prior to the scheduled kick off time, and four hours after the conclusion of the fixture, enter and or remain in any area inside the boundary as defined on the exclusion area map.

- On the day when Cambridge United are playing in an away fixture, away from the Abbey Stadium, not to approach within a two miles radius of the stadium where the game is taking place, in the period between six hours prior to the kick off and three hours after the end of the game. 

Mark Wood, Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s dedicated football officer, said: “We want individuals and families to feel safe when they are attending football matches and they should be enjoyable events for all.

“The majority of football fans are well behaved and just want to enjoy the game but this group caused trouble and potentially tarnished the reputation of Cambridge United.

“It is a classic case of a minority spoiling it for the majority of law-abiding football fans so we will always support and enforce action, alongside football banning orders.

“I hope the group reflect on their shameful actions.”