Soccer hooligans to face courts (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Soccer hooligans to face courts

Anyone causing trouble around the County Ground this season will face a day in court.

With the World Cup in Germany next summer Swindon police are determined hooligans from the town will not be allowed to cause trouble.

Rather than issuing £80 fines to troublemakers they will be put before the magistrates.

Police can then apply for banning orders to prevent them going to any football matches for three years.

It may also mean they lose their passports when the national team plays away. The crackdown is a joint initiative between the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Swindon's football liaison officer James Neighbour said: "The premise is get them in to court and get a banning order. In the past we gave fines, now everyone will go to court."

Wiltshire's Chief Crown Prosecutor Karen Harrold said: "We want to avoid a few troublemakers affecting the reputation of law-abiding fans and making local residents' lives a misery."

The Chief Inspector of Swindon Police, Adrian Griffiths, said: "It is in all of our interests to combat football-related disorder, so matches continue to be family fun events.

"Behaviour at Swindon Town matches is generally good, and we will continue to ensure the few who commit offences are prosecuted and banned from future matches."

Swindon Town chief executive Sandy Gray said: "We do not have too many problems and this is because everyone is working together so we can all enjoy our football."

Taxi driver Paul Merritt became the first football fan in Swindon to be banned from all matches without being convicted.

Merritt, 27, of Applewood Court, in Westlea, was given a civil football banning order by Swindon Magistrates' Court in July.

He was banned for two years and must surrender his passport when England lays overseas.

The same month Darren Gleed, 38, of Somerville Road, Swindon, was banned from all Town games when he appeared before Bournemouth Magistrates.