Football spectators
Section 103 Prohibiting attendance at matches in Scotland and Northern Ireland etc
565.Subsection (1) extends the definitions of “banning order”, “external tournament” and “control period” in the Football Spectators Act 1989 (“the 1989 Act”), so that those subject to English and Welsh orders will be banned from attending regulated football matches in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Reporting requirements and related provisions will only apply to “regulated football matches” involving Scottish and Northern Irish teams when they are played outside the UK.
566.A “regulated match” means any association football match prescribed by an order made by the Secretary of State in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 14(2) of the 1989 Act. When a court in England or Wales imposes a football banning order the subject is prevented from attending any regulated match in England and Wales, and from attending any regulated match outside England and Wales when given notice in writing by the English and Welsh enforcing authority under section 19(2B) of the 1989 Act. Prior to commencement the order prescribing regulated matches would be amended to reflect the effect of section 103.
Section 104 Requirements to report at police stations
567.Section 104 provides that when an individual is directed to report to police by the court or by the enforcing authority, the specified police station may be anywhere in the UK and thus local to the individual’s place of residence.
568.Subsection (1) provides that the police stations specified under any of the provisions listed in subsection (2) may be anywhere in the United Kingdom. The provisions are:
Initial reporting at a police station as specified in an order imposed in England, Wales or Scotland.
Reporting at a police station as required by a notice from the English and Welsh enforcing authority or the Scottish Football Banning Orders Authority in relation to regulated football matches outside the UK.
Section 105 Enforcement of 1989 Act in Scotland and Northern Ireland
569.Subsection (1) provides that the following offences under the 1989 Act extend to Scotland and to Northern Ireland:
failure to comply with a requirement imposed by a banning order or the requirements of a notice issued by the English and Welsh enforcing authority;
failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement imposed by police on a person reporting initially at a police station specified by the banning order;
providing the English and Welsh enforcing authority or police with what is known to be false information in connection with an application to the authority for an exemption from their reporting instructions.
570.Subsection (2) provides a defence in Scotland of reasonable excuse for failing to comply with a requirement of a banning order or notice issued by the English and Welsh enforcing authority. The 1989 Act does not provide a statutory defence in England and Wales for failing to comply with a requirement of a banning order or notice issued by the English and Welsh enforcing authority. However section 68(2) of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 provides a defence in Scotland of reasonable excuse for failing to comply with a requirement of a banning order or notice issued by the Scottish enforcing authority. For consistency in the treatment of breaches of banning order requirements within Scotland, a statutory defence is provided.
571.Subsections (3), (4) and (5) set out the maximum penalties for the offences described in subsection (1). A person guilty of an offence by virtue of subsection (1)(a) is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000) (or both). A person guilty of an offence by virtue of subsection (1)(b) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale (currently £500). A person guilty of an offence by virtue of subsection (1)(c) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (currently £1,000).
Section 106 Enforcement of 2006 Act in England and Wales and Northern Ireland
572.Section 106 extends to England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with appropriate sentencing provisions, the offences of failing to comply with the requirements of a Scottish banning order or a notice issued by the Scottish Football Banning Orders Authority and the offence of giving false information in connection with an application for an exemption.
573.Subsection (2) increases the maximum custodial penalty available for failing to comply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland with a requirement imposed by a Scottish banning order, or a notice pursuant to one issued by the Scottish Football Banning Orders Authority. That penalty, which is currently imposed under the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2007, is increased from three months to six months (the maximum available in Scotland).
574.Subsections (3) and (4) set out the sentencing provisions for other offences under the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”) as they apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A person guilty of an offence under section 68(1)(b) of the 2006 Act (failure to comply with requirement imposed by constable) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale (currently £500). A person guilty of an offence by virtue of section 68(5) of the 2006 Act (knowingly or recklessly providing a false statement) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (currently £1,000).
575.Subsection (5) revokes Articles 1(5) and 5 of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2007 which created offences in England and Wales and Northern Ireland of breaching Scottish banning orders.
Section 107 Relevant offences for the purposes of Part 2 of 1989 Act
576.Section 107 adds to the list of relevant offences for England and Wales failing to comply with a requirement made on initially reporting to the police in respect of an English and Welsh imposed order and knowingly making false statements in relation to an application for an exemption to the English and Welsh enforcing authority. The section also includes those offences extended to England and Wales in respect of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 by virtue of section 106.
577.The offences listed in Schedule 1 to the 1989 Act are offences in relation to which English and Welsh courts may seek football banning orders (or the extension of existing banning orders) on conviction.
