Oldham man first UK tailgating charge after Wembley Cup Final

An Oldham man has made history as the first person in the UK to be charged with tailgating after trying to enter the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley without a ticket. Benjamin Bailey, 27, from Fifth Avenue in Limeside, was arrested at the stadium and charged at 7.45pm on Sunday, just hours after new laws came into force making the offence criminal.

The new legislation, which took effect at 00.01am on March 22, was introduced following the chaos at the Euro 2020 final in 2021 when thousands of fans forced their way into Wembley. Bailey will appear at Willesden Magistrates' Court on May 1, facing a potential five-year football banning order and up to £1,000 in fines.

The Carabao Cup Final saw Manchester City defeat Arsenal 2-0, with two other men arrested on suspicion of tailgating remaining in custody. Police made a total of 20 arrests at the match-a 78% reduction from the 91 arrests made at last year's final-including seven for affray and one for racially aggravated assault.

Chief Inspector Pete Dearden, the match commander, said the operation represented a significant improvement in crowd management. 'Huge changes have been implemented since last year, and we will now use the success of the policing operation today as a blueprint throughout the busy summer at Wembley so fans can safely enjoy upcoming fixtures.