Football ruling ‘could damage local policing’

THE Court of Appeal ruling could have an impact on policing of football matches in other parts of the region.
West Yorkshire Police have lost their case in the Court of Appeal over who should pay for policing of matches at Leeds United's Elland Road stadium.West Yorkshire Police have lost their case in the Court of Appeal over who should pay for policing of matches at Leeds United's Elland Road stadium.
West Yorkshire Police have lost their case in the Court of Appeal over who should pay for policing of matches at Leeds United's Elland Road stadium.

Mark Gay, a partner of Burges Salmon, who acted on behalf of the football club said: “The Police had sought to charge the club for the normal performance of their duties on the public highway.

“This would have led to the police being able to charge for all sorts of duties which the public have already paid.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leeds United, whose home matches have one of the worst records of football-related violence in the country, said after the hearing that it hoped to reduce the number of officers required during home games.

The cost to West Yorkshire Police of policing high-risk games, known as ‘Category C’, are about £100,000, and since the High Court ruling, the force has only been able to recover about half that