Five-year ban for football fan caught with cocaine at Shrewsbury Town match
A football fan has been handed a five-year stadium ban after being caught with cocaine at a Shrewsbury Town match.
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Aiden Murray, aged 21, was caught with the Class A drug at the Montgomery Waters Meadow when Salop hosted Oxford United in a League One clash on March 29.
Murray, of Bulan Road, Headington, Oxfordshire, pleaded guilty at Kidderminster Magistrates Court to possession of a Class A drug.
District Judge Ian Strongman banned Murray from attending football matches for five years.
Additional conditions of the order including a restriction banning him from being within a mile of Oxford United's Kassam Stadium on match days or to go within a mile of any stadium in the country where the club are playing a match. He is also banned from entering any town, city or parish where England are playing in the UK on match days, as well as travelling abroad to follow England.
PC Chris Rayment, West Mercia Police’s dedicated football officer for Shrewsbury Town FC, said: “This is a great example of proactive partnership working between stewards and police on match days and sends out a clear message to football fans that drugs will not be tolerated within football.
“Football is enjoyed by people from all ages and backgrounds, including young children. Being in possession or using illegal substances or prohibited items can have a negative effect on people’s behaviour, impacting the safety and enjoyment of others.
“We will continue to work closely with Shrewsbury Town Football Club as we plan and prepare for next season, to ensure that matches are safe and enjoyable for all.”
Under the new legislation, fans who commit Class A drug offences at matches can now face being banned for up to 10-years, and could even see them receive a criminal conviction.
