CPS advising football clubs on best practice for tackling rising crowd disorder

The Premier League, the EFL and their clubs are receiving advice from the Crown Prosecution Service on how to build the strongest cases possible against any individuals that attack players on the pitch.

The issue of crowd disorder and player protection is under the spotlight after the end of the regular Football League season and the play-offs were marred by pitch invasions.

A Nottingham Forest season-ticket holder, Robert Biggs, was jailed for 24 weeks on Thursday after he deliberately charged at Sheffield United player Billy Sharp at the City Ground earlier this week, headbutting him and knocking him to the ground.

There was a further pitch invasion at Northampton on Wednesday night, when a man came onto the field and barged into Mansfield’s Jordan Bowery during the League Two play-off semi-final second leg. No arrest has yet been confirmed regarding that incident.

The CPS said it is currently working with clubs, player bodies and organisations like the Premier League and the EFL to explain what sort of evidence is required to charge in order to help clubs and the leagues protect their players.

Douglas Mackay, the CPS lead prosecutor for sports, said: “Over recent years and months there has been a significant rise in football-related criminality compared to pre-pandemic levels.

“At the CPS, we play a crucial role in tackling these crimes and making our national sport inclusive, safe to watch and play in. There is no place for violent criminal acts in football, and incidents such as these have a significant impact on victims.”

Among the types of evidence clubs are advised can assist in a prosecution are CCTV footage, mobile phone video, body-worn video (BWV) footage from security officers and eyewitness statements.

Mack