Public Order Act 1986

31Offences connected with football.

(1)This section applies to any offence which fulfils one or more of the following three conditions.

(2)The first condition is that the offence was committed during any period relevant to a prescribed football match (as determined under subsections (6) to (8)), while the accused was at, or was entering or leaving or trying to enter or leave, the football ground concerned.

(3)The second condition is that the offence—

(a)involved the use or threat of violence by the accused towards another person and was committed while one or each of them was on a journey to or from an association football match,

(b)involved the use or threat of violence towards property and was committed while the accused was on such a journey, or

(c)was committed under section 5 or Part III while the accused was on such a journey.

(4)The third condition is that the offence was committed under section 1(3) or (4) or 1A(3) or (4) of the [1985 c. 57.] Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985 (alcohol on journeys to or from certain sporting events) and the designated sporting event concerned was an association football match.

(5)For the purposes of subsection (3) a person's journey includes breaks (including overnight breaks).

(6)The period beginning 2 hours before the start of the match or (if earlier) 2 hours before the time at which it is advertised to start, and ending 1 hour after the end of it, is a period relevant to it.

(7)Where the match is advertised to start at a particular time on a particular day and is postponed to a later day, the period in the advertised day beginning 2 hours before and ending 1 hour after that time is also a period relevant to it.

(8)Where the match is advertised to start at a particular time on a particular day and does not take place, the period in that day beginning 2 hours before and ending 1 hour after that time is a period relevant to it.