Football team gain victory over West Yorkshire Police
Leeds United FC won a legal challenge against West Yorkshire Police over the cost of policing matches in the High Court last week.
In Leeds United FC v West Yorkshire Police [2012] EWHC 2113 (QB), Mr Justice Eady, who was shown footage of crowds around Elland Road Stadium, considered to what extent West Yorkshire could recoup policing costs around the “immediate environs of the club premises”. Leeds United currently pays nearly £1m per year towards “special police services”, a fourfold increase from the £250,000 it paid three years ago.
West Yorkshire Police argued it was entitled to levy charges on the club based on a “footprint”, which included policing on the public highway and on publicly accessible land such as car parks and a bus station.
The club did not object to paying for policing within the Elland Road ground or on land owned, leased or controlled by it.
Eady J held that policing on the public highway and on public land fell within “the normal constabulary duty to keep the peace”. Therefore, the costs of such policing were not recoverable from Leeds United.
Sports lawyer Mark Gay, partner at Burges Salmon, who acted for Leeds United, says the judgment also has implications for organisers of rock concerts and demonstrations, who may be asked to pay policing costs. He says: “This is a significant case, which establishes what the police can charge for.”
