Yobs told ‘stay away’

WORLD CUP FEVER
POLICE are targeting local football hooligans planning to travel to the World Cup.

Operation Final will clamp down on known or potential troublemakers heading from Manchester Airport and who are prevented from travelling.

They will have their passport seized and be required to appear before magistrates within 24 hours.

Greater Manchester Police will also make an application to the court for a football banning order, which if granted, lasts between three and five years. Police chiefs are warning hooligans not to attend the tournament in South Africa, which kicks-off today.

To enforce the intelligence-led operation, plain-clothed football intelligence and uniformed police officers have been stationed at the airport since Monday and will stay while England remain in the tournament.

They will also be rigorously enforcing banning orders that restrict the movements of known troublemakers.

The Football Banning Order Authority (FBOA) has sent out letters and recipients must follow certain courses of action, such as surrendering their passport and reporting to a police station on the day of the match.

Any breaches will be treated seriously. A total of 167 people had to surrender their passports with 26 failing to do so in the required time but only three outstanding after action was taken.

Detective Inspector Kevin Fitzpatrick, of GMP’s Football Intelligence and Public Safety Unit, said: “The message is clear — anyone trying to travel who is either banned or a known troublemaker will be identified and punished, so don’t bother.”