Public Order Act 1986

14 (1) After section 72 there shall be inserted the following—

“72A Possession of fireworks etc. at sporting events.

(1) Any person who has entered the relevant area of a designated sports ground and is in possession of a controlled article or substance at any time during the period of a designated sporting event shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) Any person who, while in possession of a controlled article or substance, attempts to enter the relevant area of a designated sports ground at any time during the period of a designated sporting event at the ground shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) above shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 60 days or to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale or both.

(4) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) or (2) above to show that he had lawful authority to be in possession of the controlled article or substance.

(5) In subsections (1) and (2) above " controlled article or substance " means—

(a) any article or substance whose main purpose is the emission of a flare for purposes of illuminating or signalling (as opposed to igniting or heating) or the emission of smoke or a visible gas ; and in particular it includes distress flares, fog signals, and pellets and capsules intended to be used as fumigators or for testing pipes, but not matches, cigarette lighters or heaters; and

(b) any article which is a firework.”.

(2) In section 75 (police powers of enforcement) at the end of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (e) there shall be inserted— “; or

(iii) a controlled article or substance as defined in section 72A(5) of this Act”.