Ipswich Town Football Club Company Ltd v The Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary [2017] EWCA Civ 1484 (10 October 2017)

Ipswich Town Football Club Company Ltd v The Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary [2017] EWCA Civ 1484 (10 October 2017)

The provision of policing services in the TCO area amounts to special police services under section 25 of the Police Act 1996 because the Club exercises significant control over the area, the services are preventative and support the Club's stewarding functions, and the TCO area is contiguous to the stadium. The police are entitled to charge for services provided within the TCO area, but not for services beyond it.

Citation
[2017] EWCA Civ 1484
Parties
Appellant/claimant: Ipswich Town Football Club Company Limited; Respondent/defendant: The Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary; Intervener: The English Football League
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
10 October 2017
Procedural Posture
Appeal / Court of Appeal Judgment
Outcome
Appeal dismissed
Legal Topics
Special Police Services, Police Charges, Public Duty, Football Stadium Policing, Section 25 Police Act 1996
Public Law Police Law Contract Law Special Police Services Police Charges Public Duty Football Stadium Policing Section 25 Police Act 1996

Case Brief

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Parties

Ipswich Town Football Club Company Limited

Appellant/claimant

The Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary

Respondent/defendant

The English Football League

Intervener

Procedural Posture

Appeal / Court of Appeal Judgment

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether section 25 of the Police Act 1996 entitles the police to charge for special police services provided on land adjacent to but outside a football stadium
  2. 2 Whether the services provided in the TCO area constitute special police services or are part of the police's ordinary public duty

Ratio Decidendi

The provision of policing services in the TCO area amounts to special police services under section 25 of the Police Act 1996 because the Club exercises significant control over the area, the services are preventative and support the Club's stewarding functions, and the TCO area is contiguous to the stadium. The police are entitled to charge for services provided within the TCO area, but not for services beyond it.

Court Disposition

Appeal dismissed

Orders

  • Declaration granted that police are entitled to impose charges for provision of special police services within the TCO area
  • No entitlement to charge for services beyond the TCO area