Upgdate regarding policing at BAFC

[barrowaberdeen]

Over the last few weeks some of us, partly through the Bluebirds Trust but also individually with representatives of the club, have appealed on behalf on Andrew Leitch regarding him receiving a club ban for swearing at the Tamworth game.

Representations have included:

1) Witness statements given to club

2) A letter, signed by 40+ Barrow A.F.C supporters with signatures collected over two days n support of Andy and also highlighting long standing concerns, about perceived bias in how individuals are dealt with at Barrow A.F.C games.

3) Advice from lawyers from the Football Supporters' Federation

4) A meeting with club officials.

The basic timeline was thus:

At the game, Andrew was initially asked to leave the area 9 (A section 25) which he complied with. He was not arrested or charged and there was no indication that he would be.

The club then issued a ban from that we appealed through a letter and witness statements.

There was a meeting with the club which Andy attended with support where the ban was reduced to up to Christmas. Still no mention that Andy was to be charged.

Andy was issued with a court summons.

There was a meeting between Paul Casson and the Trust, this issue was raised (initially by him) and he agreed to look into it further after representations were made on Andy's behalf.

Advice was sought and as Andy had sworn he was advised to plead guilty by The Football Supporters Federation, due to the fact that Magistrates invariably believe the police and stewards in such situations in terms of where the swearing was directed to. The police can't arrest you for swearing, however if they assert it somehow causes distress you can be charged. One might ask oneself how where that leaves us as at football matches..

Andy attended court, and received various financial penalties, with costs of a lawyer will probably amount to about £700. A banning order was not sought by the police.

The Evening Mail printed a full age story, which was was surprisingly prominent give the nature of some of the other crimes reported in the newspaper that day, of far greater severity, which received much less attention. This was again filed by a journalist who has done similar hatchet jobs on BAFC fans before.

Paul was contacted to update him, in advance of a meeting he had with Barrow police yesterday. He had a compromise suggestion to put to other board members and promised to contact us today to give us the decision on what would occur.

At yesterday's police meeting, the police intimated that if the club dropped the ban then they would reapply for a football banning order. When we heard of this, we again took legal advice to see whether the police could do this, effectively this means they can they hold any conviction over anyone at football, even if they don't initially seek a ban.

We were informed of the decision prior to the game today that the club would not rescind the ban.

Given this, some of us won't be attending Barrow A.F.C games at Holker Street while Andy is banned. Equally, others will boycott the Cross Bar and merchandising for that period of time.

Although personally I feel that the club and particularly Paul Casson have made an effort to listen to concerns, the decision made is the wrong one and shows how subject the club have become to control from Cumbria Police representatives, with the complicit support of local media who don't check the information they are fed and are not journalists, merely cheerleaders for a police agenda. That is not how the basic relationship between club and police is meant to work, even from their own football policing guidelines say compromise should be sought in looking at supporter issues.

This will doubtless be of little interest to many- however this forum is the main place where fans of Barrow A.F.C gather so I hope it is of importance to some. This decision means that of anyone using intemperate language towards any situation, at Barrow, and the police take offence, you can be charged, dragged through the papers and banned. For swearing. It could be any one of hundreds of us and if you upset the powers that be at Holker Street it could be you.

[themaster]

Given this, some of us won't be attending Barrow A.F.C games at Holker Street while Andy is banned. Equally, others will boycott the Cross Bar and merchandising for that period of time.
.

Out of interest , how many are planning on boycotting games ?

Its not hard to boycott the merchandise at this moment in time

[audigex]

The police clearly have a vendetta against certain fans, but this is even more out of line than usual. Who's been caused distress by it? Not the police, not any of his mates stood around him... who filed the complaint?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... rules.html

If you arrested and banned everyone who swore at BAFC, you'd have about 8 supporters left and I wouldn't be one of them. Where do I hand myself in?

[barrowfan_chris]

Given this, some of us won't be attending Barrow A.F.C games at Holker Street while Andy is banned. Equally, others will boycott the Cross Bar and merchandising for that period of time.
.

Out of interest , how many are planning on boycotting games ?

Its not hard to boycott the merchandise at this moment in time

Does it matter how many plan to boycott?



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[themaster]

Out of interest , how many are planning on boycotting games ?

Its not hard to boycott the merchandise at this moment in time

Does it matter how many plan to boycott?





Yes

I'm interested/nosey

[The Real Slim Azza]

Is it not 40+ that signed the letter?


The club will unban him straight away at the receipt of the above letter.

[barrowfan_chris]

Is it not 40+ that signed the letter?


The club will unban him straight away at the receipt of the above letter.

Club have already recieved the letter.

My concern about this is swearing at football is part of it and people weren't banned from Holker street last season even though they were fighting but because they helped out at the ground thats fine.

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[McMark]

Is it not 40+ that signed the letter?


The club will unban him straight away at the receipt of the above letter.

That's the problem a former member of this forum, if the club remove the ban then the police will seek a banning order through the courts! So Andy will get a far longer ban

[The Real Slim Azza]

Is it not 40+ that signed the letter?


The club will unban him straight away at the receipt of the above letter.

That's the problem a former member of this forum, if the club remove the ban then the police will seek a banning order through the courts! So Andy will get a far longer ban

Ahhh Im getting it now.

So what happens if the club drop the ban and he does get a longer ban.

What happens to the boycotters?

[themaster]

So any news on the number of potential boycotters ?

That way I can form opinion on how the club will handle this , for example if 750 people signed a letter of intent to boycott, the club have a major problem on their hands , but say if only 2 or 3 did then that's a different story.

[paddy71]

Does bluey the Bluebird not need a female partner? Pretty sure that inspector jack cluso( t jones) and inspector Raymond fowler( c barras) won't sus that 1 out

[SOFTOUCH]

Don't ever post much but would be willing to show support for this cause, if that means a boycott, so be it

[boyliegladbach]

I was stood next to the wronlyg accused at the time of the incident,
People were shouting out of every window in the xbar at the time..
He was then singled out and removed.
On speaking to a policeman outside he said something like forget it, it's over, he's been dealt with" then weeks later he gets a letter saying it's going to court .
IMO the local police are just justifying there existence ready for a few bigger games in the coming season
Whole situation could have been avoided of our local police were sensible like the fine police we we encountered in Lowestoft.

Why was the pitch invasions on paper described as ok, when on the day stewards near enough
Tugby tackled the lad?

[Bingo]

What could be club do to put this situation right?

Did they plan to unban him and when told the police would get banning order decoded to leant it as it is ?

Are you angry with the club or the police ?

[boyliegladbach]

Club can't do anything Charlie, if they cancel the ban they gave him the police will go to courts and ban him longer.
#stitchedup

Feel free to invade the pitch next season everyone it is now OK.