Legal Action by Chelsea FC Leads to Jail for Ticket Tout
And club says it will act to stop them loitering in area around Stamford Bridge
The club says is has taken legal action against 11 ticket touts, one of whom has received a six-month jail sentence, operating in the locality of Stamford Bridge on and around matchdays.
The High Court has ordered injunctions which stop these touts from trading in tickets to matches at Stamford Bridge as well as preventing them from loitering or waiting near the ground prior to matchdays.
The club says it will act to fully enforce these orders.
Breaching the orders imposed by the Court can lead to serious sanctions, including prison sentences. One of these touts has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for contempt of court in connection with an injunction.
All 11 touts have been ordered to pay the club's costs incurred in putting a stop to their touting behaviour. This amounts to more than £170,000 in total.
This action is part of an on-going undercover operation which Chelsea says will continue throughout the 2019/20 season.
And the club adds; "Ticket touting is known to have links to organised crime. The above action taken against touts operating around Stamford Bridge sends a strong message to others looking to engage in such criminal and anti-social behaviour."
Chelsea already employs a series of visible preventative measures on matchdays to protect supporters from touting, including signage outside the stadium and along Fulham Road to inform visitors of the risks of purchasing tickets from unofficial sources.
The club has also agreed the installation of additional signage and matchday messages at Fulham Broadway station.
The club says it operates a Ticket Exchange policy which enables season ticket holders and members who cannot attend a match the opportunity to lawfully sell their ticket in a safe, secure and reliable online environment to other season ticket holders and members.
Its statement says: " We remain committed to working alongside the Metropolitan Police and Local Authority to eradicate ticket touting from Stamford Bridge and will continue to operate a comprehensive and long-term operation to combat this problem.
"We will also continue to work alongside other organisations and venues on anti-touting techniques.
"This football club will not tolerate touting and will continue to identify offenders and take further legal action through the Courts to ensure that our club and the surrounding area are safe for our loyal supporters and visitors.
"Individuals found in possession of unlawfully purchased tickets will be refused entry to the stadium or removed from it."
Information and advice regarding ticket touts is available here.
The club adds that it welcomes information from supporters in our efforts to eradicate this problem. You can contact the club if you have information or are otherwise concerned about ticket touting at toutinfo@chelseafc.com.
August 23, 2019