First person charged with tailgating after EFL Cup final

General view of Wembley Stadium on Sunday

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,

Wembley hosted the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Arsenal on Sunday

Published55 minutes ago

A 27-year-old man has become the first person in the country to be charged with 'tailgating' - entering a football match without a ticket - after the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

The new law came into effect on Sunday, hours before Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-0 in the final.

The Met Police said Benjamin Bailey, 27, of Fifth Avenue in Oldham, Manchester, will appear at Willesden Magistrates' Court on Friday, 1 May in connection with the alleged offence.

Two other men were arrested on suspicion of the same offence at Wembley and remain in custody.

Also on Sunday, a man was arrested on suspicion of tailgating at Tottenham's 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He has been bailed pending further investigation.

Those convicted of tailgating face a football banning order of up to five years, as well as a fine of up to £1,000.

The legislation has been introduced as a result of the serious disorder that marred the European Championship final between England and Italy at Wembley in July 2021, when thousands of fans forced their way into the stadium.

The new act is designed to clamp down on supporters without tickets closely following legitimate ticket-holders through turnstiles.