A man has become the first football fan to be convicted of tailgating after he entered Wembley Stadium without a ticket for the Carabao Cup final. Benjamin Bailey, 27, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was arrested at the match between Manchester City and Arsenal on March 22 and subsequently charged with the new offence.
Bailey admitted the charge at Willesden Magistrates' Court on Friday and was handed a three-year football banning order along with a £230 fine, according to the HM Courts & Tribunals Service. The prosecution is believed to be the first of its kind since tailgating—where non-ticket holders follow paying spectators through turnstiles to gain entry—was made a criminal offence.
The new legislation, introduced ahead of the Carabao Cup final, was a direct response to the chaotic scenes at the Euro 2020 final at the same stadium five years earlier. During that match between England and Italy, thousands of ticketless fans stormed the gates, leading to a review by Baroness Louise Casey, who described the incident as a "national shame" and highlighted more than 20 "near misses" that could have resulted in serious injury or death.
The Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act now makes it illegal to enter a football match without a ticket, as well as to use forged tickets, passes, or accreditation documents, or to impersonate stadium or playing staff. Offenders across England and Wales face a football banning order of up to five years and a fine of up to £1,000.
Baroness Casey's review found that around 100,000 people travelled to Wembley for the Euro 2020 final, with approximately 2,000 gaining entry without tickets. There were 17 mass breaches of the gates in the 90 minutes before kick-off until the penalty shootout. She stated: "I am clear that we were close to fatalities and/or life-changing injuries for some, potentially many, in attendance. That this should happen anywhere in 21st century Britain is a source of concern. That it should happen at our national stadium, and on the day of our biggest game of football for 55 years is a source of national shame."
The conviction of Bailey marks a significant step in enforcing the new law, sending a clear message that tailgating will not be tolerated at football matches.
