Leeds have won their British High Court action over who should pay for policing of matches at their Elland Road stadium. The Championship side asked for a decision on which of the services deployed by West Yorkshire Police for the last three seasons were special police services, and whether it was entitled to be repaid for services wrongly categorised. The litigation involved policing in the extended footprint of land around the stadium which is not owned or leased by the club â who claimed this fell within the scope of a constableâs normal common law obligations to maintain public order. Mr Justice Eady, in London, said those services could not be classified as special police services and the club, whose home matches have one of the worst records of football-related violence in the country, should be repaid. He concluded that the services rendered fell within the normal constabulary duty to keep the peace.
Its good for footy all round, not that plod will see it that way unfortunately. Did the Judge grant leave to appeal?
Good news and fair play to Bates for taking it on. Does anyone know how it works in practice if the Police now insist on additional numbers inside the ground, but have them stationed in readiness outside the ground? Can the Police up the ground numbers to recoup what they see as a loss and could they have some Police outside on the argument that they could be required inside or within the ground footprint?
WYP comment "the possibility of the force being unable to support the club's existing match arrangements in the present economic climate" does imply that the kick off times may be affected. Will you still see it as good news when all your games are played at 9.00 Sunday nights?
If the WYP have to pay their own way outside of your property who is going to pay them to protect you when you play us ?
Glad we won. I had visions of police officers grabbing you as you got out of the car at ER saying 'I'll watch your car for a fiver' in a menacing voice.
Great news isn't it? Unfortunately for you lot, I can't piss off until I've got me cash back off the bizzies. This may take quite some time yet.
Well, yes. It's always been clear to me that what I was paying for was just enough coppers to prevent the stadium being torn apart. And maybe one or two mounties outside to do a bit of low grade police intimidation and harrassment. I certainly never had any intention of paying the boys in blue to stop you morons pissing in front gardens and kicking seven bells of ****e out of each other once you get up to the Old Peacock. It's a great day for natural justice and offshore savings in general.
They'll just turn your taxi back at the start of the M1 and tell you you're not allowed to go. Then they will reduce the ground capacity to 12000. This could get very tiresome as the various parties continue to slug it out. But it's going to affect nearly every club. Wonder how many other PC forces are looking at their local clubs and saying, so when are they gonna tell us to cough up for the last 5 years?
True that. I remember when we had a window tax. I had to pay young Silas from the village half a groat to brick up half the mansion. Sad times.
No restrictions on Wall fans,No restrictions on Cardiff fans, No restrictions on Huddersfield fans, crikey YOU AINT HALF GONNA GET BEATEN UP A LOT THIS SEASON with no one to protect you
