Football Banning Order and over £1,000 fine issued to man for tragedy chanting at Old Trafford

Specialised officers have successfully convicted another football supporter for their actions in a recent fixture.

During the FA Cup Quarter-Final fixture between Manchester United and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford on Sunday 17 March 2024, Michael Bernard Avery (06/11/1979), from Manchester, was subsequently charged with Section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986. This was in addition to arrests and charges made to other supporters relating to pyrotechnics.

Avery pleaded guilty to the offence today (Monday 22 April 2024) at Salford Magistrates Court and received a three-year Football Banning Order (FBO) alongside costs of £85, a victim surcharge of £320 and a fine of £800, reduced due to an early guilty plea.

This was after our Specialist Operational football investigation team carried out enquiries following a video of a man in the home section of the Old Trafford crowd making gestures that was shared widely on social media.

Chief Inspector Jamie Collins, of our Specialist Operations Branch, said: “Following the understandable concern raised online following the video being shared of Avery’s actions, we undertook an investigation into this to ensure justice was brought.

“We are continuing to take a proactive action against those engaged in this type of behaviour, that is intent on causing distress to victims and supporters impacted by terrible football tragedies of the past. Any kind of gesture or comments in relation to tragedy chanting will not be tolerated and is totally unacceptable.”