Men In Court After Disorder Before Posh Match

Eleven men have been sentenced for their parts in disorder prior to Peterborough United’s fixture against Queen’s Park Rangers last year.

At about 2.45pm on 23 October a group of about 30 QPR fans tried to enter a pub in London Road, Peterborough, where they knew Peterborough United fans had congregated.

Officers prevented the fans from going into the pub, but a confrontation between the two groups of fans ensued, with items being thrown.

Yesterday (31 March) six men appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court and all admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke violence.

Harry Childs, 25, of Mountnessing Road, Billericay, Essex, was fined and given a five-year football banning order.

Reece Booth, 29, of Netherwood Road, London, was fined and given a four-year football banning order.

Alan Moore, 51, of Woodward Road, Bristol, was fined and given a three-year football banning order.

Jamie Kelly, 22, of Ferncroft Avenue, Ruislip, Greater London; Freddy Ingram, 26, of Baird House, White City Estate, London; and Carl Duhig, 35, of Colne Avenue, West Drayton, Greater London, were also fined, but did not receive banning orders.

 On Thursday, 24 March, five other men also appeared at the same court and admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke violence.

Nile Hickey, 24, of Owlsmoor Road, Owlsmoor, Sandhurst, Berkshire and Bradley Pack, 29, of Howards Drive, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, were both given five-year football banning orders and fined.

 Scott Payen, 40, of Berkeley Road, Uxbridge, Greater London, was given a three-year football banning order and fined.

Owen Nicholls, 18, of Wentworth Drive, Pinner, Greater London and Stanley Cohan-Craig, also 18, of Longcroft Road, Maple Cross, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, were fined, but did not receive banning orders.

Four men from Peterborough have also been charged with using threatening or abusive words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke violence in relation to the incident and will appear in court at a date yet to be set.

Mark Wood, football intelligence officer, said: “Disorder like this has no place in football and puts law-abiding fans at risk.

“Families, including those with young children, attended this match and should not have been subjected to witnessing disorder like this.

“We will not tolerate football-related violence of any kind. We will always seek to prosecute those who choose to take part in disorder or violence – it simply has no place in football.”

Inspector Matt Ashmead, from the Metropolitan Police Service, said: “The joint investigation by Cambridgeshire Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police Service shows that we will not tolerate individuals who seek to use football as an excuse to commit crime. I am pleased the fines and banning orders imposed by the court reflect the seriousness of the offence.”