Latest news with #MarkRoberts
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Police report 18% rise in disorder for last season
The number of football matches in England and Wales with reported incidents of disorder increased by 18% during the 2024-25 season, according to latest policing Home Office says the number of reported incidents rose from 1,341 in 2023-24 to 1,583 and include football-related violence, disorder, anti-social behaviour and means at least one incident was reported at more than half of the 3,090 matches played last season from the Premier League down to the National League and games in FA Cup, League Cup, Football League Trophy, Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and international fixtures. The number of arrests, however, dropped by 11% from 2,167 to 1,932 - a first decrease since fans returned to the stadiums after the Covid-19 National Police Chiefs' Council said the "worrying level of offending at men's football matches across the country" is putting an increased strain on the Constable Mark Roberts, its football policing lead, said the figures show "why it is essential that football clubs need to start paying their fair share towards policing matches." "Policing men's football creates significantly more demand than any other event in terms of public order deployments nationally, meaning every week, officers are taken away from policing communities to facilitate matches."He added "the police are subsidising clubs that quite happily spend up to a £1bn in a single transfer window." Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, also said earlier this month the clubs must pay towards the £70m cost of policing their matches every year. Hate crime, reported at 420 matches last season, was the most common incident while 287 were related to race, 140 to sexual orientation, 20 to religion, 19 to disability and three to gender United had 121 fans arrested during the season - more than an any other club in the top six tiers of English City were second with 94 arrests and West Ham, who had the most arrests in each of the previous three seasons, followed with 77 most common offences for arrest were public disorder (32%), violent disorder (22%) and the possession of Class A drugs (19%). Rules introduced ahead of the 2022-23 season mean anyone caught in possession of Class A drugs in connection with football faces a five-year number of online hate crimes also decreased from 322 in 2023-24 to 212 last season. Of these, 199 were related to men's game and 13 to women's. Policing minister Diana Johnson said: "Police up and down the country work incredibly hard to ensure football stadiums are safe, so we can all enjoy our national game."Today's statistics show that these efforts are paying off and strong action is being taken to stop violence and disorder from ruining football."
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
UK football police chief calls for major change and makes £58m demand of top clubs - as he highlights how fans are being treated 'unjustly'
The UK's head of football policing is calling for a law change that would force football clubs – and not the taxpayer – to fund a £58m shortfall. Chief Constable Mark Roberts says it is 'unjust' for the public 'to have to subsidise such a rich industry' - with forces currently only able to charge for services provided inside stadiums and on club property. 'They do not have to pay a penny towards the policing of surrounding streets, city centres or towards the increasing marches to stadiums by fans,' Mr Roberts said. 'When you think about the number of stadiums that back on to public land that does not make any sense. Old Trafford, for example, where you have Sir Matt Busby Way that is closed to cars and which needs to be policed. At Bramall Lane, the away fans come straight out onto Bramall Lane which is where the flashpoints tend to be. It's madness.' Mr Roberts is the head of the UK Football Policing Unit, which claims that, of an annual bill of £71m, only £13m is being recouped from clubs. 'That cannot be right,' he told Mail Sport. 'I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for that extra money. We need new legislation urgently putting in place to change this.' Mr Roberts rejected the notion that because top clubs pay more taxes they should be able to call on more resources. 'Everyone pays taxes,' he said. 'That's life. Just because you live in a wealthy area, it does not mean you get more police resources. In a nutshell, this means that we as the police are subsidising clubs that quite happily spend close to £400m in a single transfer window.' Mr Roberts has backing from head of the Metropolitan Police Sir Mark Rowley, who earlier this week made a similar point. 'Why isn't the organiser paying, rather than local communities who lose their resources to go to football matches?' he told the BBC. The Premier League declined to comment. Top-flight clubs paid £4.2bn in tax during the 2021-22 season. As Mail Sport revealed, they also made a one-off 'gift' payment of around £7m last year in a move some viewed as an attempt to increase the number of high-profile matches kicking off in later slots.
Wales Online
05-07-2025
- Wales Online
Sirloin steak will be served up for lunch to Welsh train passengers
Sirloin steak will be served up for lunch to Welsh train passengers The new menu is available from now until early September Head chef Mark Roberts has designed new menus for Transport For Wales (Image: Reem Ahmed/WalesOnline ) Travelling across Wales just got a little more indulgent as passengers travelling in the First Class area with Transport for Wales this summer can now enjoy a fine dining experience while they're on the move. A new summer menu created by Head Chef Mark Roberts is being served on board First Class services between Cardiff and Holyhead or Manchester and is available now until early September. A special Railway 200 menu is also to launch shortly after to celebrate 200 years of passenger rail travel in the UK according to the company. Among the standout dishes in the new summer menu is the Welsh sirloin steak, served with pomme anna potatoes and set on a rich bed of black garlic and mushroom purée. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here It's topped with caramelised shallot and finished with rosemary oil bringing restaurant-quality dining to the rails. For starters, diners can choose from carrot soup with coriander oil and Welsh Shirgar butter, a smooth chicken liver pâté with caramelised red onion chutney, or Welsh lamb kofta served on flatbread with salad and tzatziki. Other main course options include pan-fried salmon with Jersey mash and a creamy chorizo and pea salad, or a vegetarian beetroot and red onion tart served with harissa potatoes and a green salad with balsamic glaze. Article continues below Desserts include a vegan-friendly orange chocolate brownie with salted caramel sauce, a classic crème brûlée with shortbread, or a Welsh cheeseboard featuring Black Bomber Cheddar, Perl Wen, and Perl Las cheeses. The board is served with spiced chutney, crackers and grapes, and comes with a £3 surcharge. Prices start at £24.95 for two courses or £27.95 for three with the option to include a 75cl bottle of house wine for £37 (two courses) or £40 (three courses). Transport for Wales says its First Class menus use 'the finest local ingredients' and are regularly updated to keep things fresh and seasonal. While stock levels may vary, on-board hosts will offer alternatives if needed. Content cannot be displayed without consent Their head Chef Mark Roberts has designed the menu, and explained some of his thoughts behind the ideas in a video that was recently shared on Transport For Wales' X page. He said: 'I'm really proud of my team. They have delivered on this one. 'It's all inspired by them and it's all their cooking.' Article continues below
Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Pair brutally murdered father and dumped his body in caravan after mistakenly believing he was a paedophile
Two men have been found guilty of brutally murdering a father and dumping his body in a caravan after mistakenly believing he was a paedophile. Mark Roberts and David Garland were also guilty of conspiracy to murder Michael Wheeler, while Jack Rance, Angus Warner, and Reuben Clare, were cleared of all charges at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday. Mr Wheeler, 37, had been friends with all five but his relationship with Roberts, to whom he owed £100, went downhill when the others saw an article about a man - also named Michael Wheeler - who was jailed in 2003 after admitting grooming and sexually abusing two 13-year-old girls. They were not the same person and prosecuting counsel, David Elias, KC, made it clear the victim had no convictions for child sexual offences. Mr Wheeler was then attacked at Roberts's flat in Yeovil in the early hours of August 24, 2024, suffering multiple injuries, including 11 skull and facial fractures. His body was hidden, with Garland previously admitting preventing the lawful and decent burial of the body. About three weeks after Mr Wheeler's death, police received information he had come to serious harm and began an investigation. One of the last sightings of him was on CCTV at a petrol station just a few hours before his death. Mark Roberts, pictured left, and David Garland, right, were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder Michael Wheeler and await a sentencing hearing next week Officers carried out searches of several addresses and open spaces before finding the victim's remains in a derelict caravan on farmland in Yarlington, Somerset on September 25. Detective Superintendent Lorett Spierenburg led the Major Crime Investigation Team enquiry into Mr Wheeler's murder and said after the verdict: 'Michael Wheeler was brutally murdered by people he had considered as friends. 'He was killed over a £100 debt and because they wrongly decided he had been jailed for child sex offences in 2003, when he would have been just 16 years old. 'The defendants gave Michael no opportunity to tell them they were wrong. 'Instead, they took the life of a man whose last words to his ex-wife were of love for her and their daughter.' Mr Wheeler's mother was suffering from a terminal illness at the time of her son's disappearance and is said to have spent her last months under the shadow of his untimely death, before dying before the case came to court. The victim leaves a young daughter, ex-wife and sister. Roberts, 39, and Garland, 40, have been remanded in custody pending a sentencing hearing, expected to be on June 13.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- BBC News
Two convicted of mistaken identity murder of Michael Wheeler
Two men have been convicted for "brutally" murdering their friend who they mistakenly believed to be a paedophile, police Wheeler, from Yeovil in Somerset, went missing in August 2024, and his remains were found by police a month Thursday, after a trial lasting more than five weeks, a jury at Bristol Crown Court found Mark Roberts and David Garland guilty of both murder and conspiracy to jury had been told that the two men had mistakenly believed Mr Wheeler, who also owed one of them £100, was a paedophile after reading news coverage about a man with the same name. Avon and Somerset Police Detective superintendent Lorett Spierenburg, who led the investigation, said they "took the life of a man whose last words to his ex-wife were of love for her and their daughter". The court heard Mr Wheeler was friends with the men and three others who were also charged over his relationship soured when the defendants found an online news report about a man – also called Michael Wheeler - who was jailed in 2003 after admitting grooming and sexually abusing two 13-year-old girls, police counsel, David Elias, KC, made it clear to the court that the murdered man was not the same person, and had no convictions for child sexual offences. Mr Wheeler was attacked at Mark Roberts' flat in Juniper Close, Yeovil in the early hours of 24 August, the trial was suffered multiple injuries, including 11 skull and facial fractures, and his body was and Somerset Police said that three weeks later officers were tipped off that Mr Wheeler had come to "serious harm" and an investigation addresses and open spaces in Somerset were searched before his remains were found on farmland in Yarlington on 25 September. Det Sup Spierenburg said Mr Wheeler was "brutally murdered by people he had considered as friends". "He was killed over a £100 debt and because they wrongly decided he had been jailed for child sex offences in 2003, when he would have been just 16 years old," he said."The defendants gave Michael no opportunity to tell them they were wrong. Instead, they took the life of a man whose last words to his ex-wife were of love for her and their daughter."Roberts, 39, of Juniper Close, and Garland, 40, of no fixed abode, were remanded in custody ahead of being sentenced on 13 had previously admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of the body of Michael Rance, 28, of no fixed abode, Reuben Clare, 19, of Yeovil, and Angus Warner, 33, of Crewkerne, were all acquitted of any involvement in the murder.
