Two Millwall football fans have been convicted and given Football Banning Orders after making deeply offensive gestures during a match against Leicester City earlier this year. The convictions mark the first application of recently introduced legislation targeting “tragedy chanting”.
Father and son, Peter and Freddie Brooks, were filmed making helicopter gestures towards Leicester City fans during the January fixture at The Den. The gestures were a clear reference to the 2018 helicopter crash that claimed the life of Leicester City’s then-owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and four others.
The pair had no choice but to plead guilty due to the weight of evidence against them. They were also handed three-year Football Banning Orders as part of their sentencing.
DC Phil Dickinson of the Football Investigations Team emphasized the seriousness of the incident, stating, “These convictions demonstrate the zero tolerance approach we are taking to those who partake in so-called ‘tragedy chanting’. While such incidents might previously have been viewed as simply being in poor taste, they are now rightly being recognized for what they are – vile offences which cause upset and outrage.”
Collaboration between the Metropolitan Police and Leicestershire Police enabled swift action to identify and charge the defendants after Leicester City fans brought the footage to the attention of authorities.
At Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 21 February, Freddie Brooks, 18, received a 12-month conditional discharge and a three-year Football Banning Order. He was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £26 victim surcharge. Peter Brooks, 48, was fined £266, issued with a three-year Football Banning Order, and required to pay £85 in costs and a £106 victim surcharge.
The convictions serve as a reminder of the consequences of engaging in offensive behavior at football matches and the commitment of law enforcement to tackle such misconduct.
