Prosecution guidance on football-related offences and banning orders

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has updated its prosecution guidance for football-related offences, regarding tragedy-related abuse as a prosecutable public order offence. Offensive messages related to football disasters or accidents – such as the Hillsborough disaster or Munich air disaster – can lead to prosecution under the Public Order Act 1986.

The guidance also highlights football banning orders, which restrict attendance, travel and pub use during matches.

Recent prosecutions for tragedy-related abuse are outlined, emphasising the impact on victims and the broader community.

These include:

• a man banned for wearing an offensive shirt about the Hillsborough disaster
• a suspended prison sentence for a man who sent offensive Hillsborough and anti-Semitic tweets
• a fan sentenced for mocking the Hillsborough tragedy at a Liverpool FC match

Read more about football related offences and football banning orders(opens an external website in the same tab) and football tragedy abuse(opens an external website in the same tab) (CPS, 2023).