December 18, 2013 3.52 pm This story is over 123 months old

Police warn hooligans to avoid Lincoln City Boxing Day match

“Stay away”: Police warn football hooligans to keep away from Lincoln City’s Boxing Day fixture against Grimsby Town.
CCTV image showing a hooligan throwing a chair in The Ritz pub on High Street in Lincoln.

Lincolnshire Police are warning football hooligans to stay away from Lincoln City’s match against Grimsby Town on Boxing Day.

The warning comes after 12 people were sentenced for football-related violence disorder charges in Lincoln earlier in the week.

All of the men were handed a 10-year football ban, while 11 received prison sentences.

Officers state there will be a high number of policing teams present at the match to ensure safety and arrest anyone who has a banning order in place or engages in disorder.

Supt Kieran English said: “The public and genuine football supporters can be reassured that there will be a very significant presence of specialist public order officers, patrol officers, traffic officers and dog units on the streets on the day.

“The minority of people who are members of what we call “football risk groups” are the problem, not genuine football fans.

“These groups contain criminals who latch themselves onto football clubs and use match days as an excuse to provoke gang violence and disorder. Our message to them is simple. Stay at home.

“If you have a football banning order you will be arrested immediately and if you engage in any crime and disorder we will use every power at our disposal to put you before the courts, which […] will issue significant sentences if you are found guilty.”