Banning Order

Under section 14A of the Football Spectators Act 1989, where an offender is convicted of a 'relevant offence' (one to which Schedule 1 of the Act applies), the court must make a banning order in respect of the offender unless the court considers that there are particular circumstances relating to the offence or to the offender which would make it unjust in all the circumstances to do so — and if it declines to make one, it must state its reasons in open court. A banning order may only be made in addition to a sentence or a conditional discharge, and the prosecution has a right of appeal against a court's failure to make one.

Section 14 sets out what a banning order actually does: in relation to regulated football matches in the UK, it prohibits the person who is subject to the order from entering any premises for the purpose of attending such matches, while for matches outside the UK it requires that person to report at a police station in accordance with this Part during the relevant 'control period'. Where the control period concerns an overseas match or tournament, the person may also be required, as a bail condition while proceedings are adjourned, to surrender his passport to a police constable, if he has not already done so.