Hemel Hempstead football fans banned for role in end-of-season brawl

Conner McCarthy, aged 28, of Leverstock Green Road, Hemel Hempstead, and Bradley Waller, aged 27, of Butts End, Hemel Hempstead, both admitted to their involvement in a football-related altercation.

They both attended the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United on 28 May, 2023. Despite winning the game 2-1 the Foxes were relegated after the game which concluded the 2022/23 Premier League season.

Soon after the match footage was shared on social media showing some fans clashing away from the King Power Stadium.

Yesterday (13 August), Leicestershire Police confirmed 16 fans have been banned from football games for their roles in contributing to the violent scenes.

Leicestershire Police confirmed it had ended its investigation now all 16 men have gone through the legal system. All 16, who are aged between 18 and 64, have now all been sentenced at Leicester Magistrates’ Court and Leicester Crown Court for their part in the incident that occurred outside of a pub in Aylestone Road.

Officers were sent to the scene to break-up the fights, Leicestershire Police says no injuries were reported to the force.

Leicestershire Police identified and charged 16 men following an investigation, and on Thursday (8 August), that last of those men was sentenced in court.

They have each received a football banning order of between three and five years which prevents them attending any regulated football match in the UK and also prevents overseas travel when the team they support, or the national team, are playing in a different country.

Some of the men have also been banned from entering areas in Leicester on matchdays both before and after the game.

Leicestershire Police has released a full breakdown of the punishments handed out to those involved:

The following 12 men have been sentenced after each pleaded guilty to an offence under section 4 of the Public Order Act 1986 – using threatening/ abusive/ insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear to provoke unlawful violence:

- Lloyd Bradbury, aged 49, of Rutland Avenue, Wigston, Leicestershire – given an eight-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay £85 costs and £154 victim surcharge and given a five-year football banning order

- Teddy Carter-Leay, aged 18, Buttondene Crescent, Waltham Abbey, Broxbourne – given a 12-month community order, ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work , pay £85 costs and £114 victim surcharge and given a four-year football banning order

- William Cartwright, aged 19, of Church Lane, Ratcliffe on the Wreake, Leicester – given a 10-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay £85 costs and £154 victim surcharge and given five-year football banning order

- Paul Endall, aged 64, of Anglesey Road, Wigston, Leicestershire – given a 12-month community order, ordered to pay a £85 costs and £114 victim surcharge and given a three-year football banning order

- Charlie Harvey, aged 23, of Westfield Avenue, Watford, Hertfordshire – given a 10-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs and £154 victim surcharge and given and a five-year football banning order

- Conner McCarthy, aged 28, of Leverstock Green Road, Hemel Hempstead – ordered to pay a £700 fine, £85 costs and £280 victim surcharge and given a three-year football banning order

- Jack Moore, aged 19, of Rosebarn Way, Leicester – given a 15-month custodial sentence and a five-year football banning order

- Harvey Perrins, aged 19, of Brook Road, Leicester – given a 12-month community order, ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, pay £85 costs and £95 victim surcharge and given a four-year football banning order

- Bradley Waller, aged 27, of Butts End, Hemel Hempstead – given a 12-month community order, ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work, pay £85 costs and £95 victim surcharge and given a four-year football banning order

- Jack Webb, aged 20, of Tuffleys Way, Leicester – given a 12-month community order, 135 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay £310 costs and £114 victim surcharge and given a three-year football banning order

- Joseph Wignall, aged 32, of Lutterworth Road, Leicester – given a 21-week custodial sentence suspended for 18 months, ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, pay £1000 fine, £300 costs and £154 victim surcharge and given a five-year football banning order

- Cole Wood, aged 28, of Rushdon Close, Romford, Havering – given a 12-month community order, 140 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay £85 costs and £95 victim surcharge and given four-year football banning order

The following four men have been sentenced after each pleaded guilty to an offence under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 – displaying threatening/ abusive/ insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour in a public place with the intent or likelihood of causing a breach of peace or harassment, alarm or distress to others:

- Ted Derry, aged 24, of Blackbird Road, Leicester – ordered to pay £69 fine, £85 costs, a £27 victim surcharge and given a three-year football banning order

- Todd Frake, aged 20, of Pine Close, Lutterworth, Leicestershire – ordered to pay £116 fine, £85 costs, a £46 victim surcharge and given a three-year football banning order

- Loui Richards, aged 19, of Hawthorne Way, Shelley, Huddersfield – ordered to pay £200 fine, £85 costs and £34 victim surcharge and given a three-year football banning order

- Tyler Smith, aged 21, of Royal Drive, Countesthorpe, Leicestershire – ordered to pay £400 fine, £85 costs and £40 victim surcharge and given a three-year football banning order

PC David Stevens, Leicestershire Police’s dedicated football officer, said: “Thousands of home and away fans attend the King Power Stadium and the surrounding city each season without any issue.

“Unfortunately, there are a small number of people who choose to be violent and cause disorder. There is no place for this type of behaviour, and it will not be tolerated by police or the club. Anyone who is found to be involved in fighting could face being prosecuted and banned from attending matches in the future.”