Free legal advice for fans at Shrewsbury in 2013.
On 27th May the FSF issued the following statement:
“ A young Portsmouth fan obtained £3500 in compensation from the police following an incident before Pompey’s game at Shrewsbury in April 2013.
John (not his real name) attended Portsmouth's final game of the 2012-13 season at Shrewsbury. He went by train with a friend and his friend’s dad. At Shrewsbury station, he became separated from his friend and his dad and he and a number of other Pompey fans were forcibly marched off by the police and made to enter an empty nightclub. There was no trouble going on and no-one told John why this was happening. All the fans were searched and held in the club for two hours before the police allowed them to go to the game.
John contacted the FSF after the game and we put him in touch with lawyers who brought a claim against the police. The police accepted that they should not have done what they did to John and agreed to pay him £3500 in compensation.
The FSF were very pleased with this outcome. It sends a signal to the police that law abiding fans will not be pushed around and treated like criminals. The FSF will support fans taking legal action to maintain their rights against police misconduct."
Following on from this we have had further enquiries from others who were there on the day. The initial case would particularly offer encouragement to any who were under 18 at the time. Every case has its own individual circumstances and will not necessarily all have the same outcome. That said, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to discuss their options and we have now arranged for Darren White of Deighton Pierce Glynn, the solicitor who handled "John's" case, to attend an open meeting at Fratton Park to give free (yes FREE) advice to any who were led to the Fever Night Club on Hills Lane, Shrewsbury before our game there on 27th April, 2013. The meeting will be on Wednesday 22nd October, 18.30 for 19.00 start. Admission, although free, is by ticket only; tickets from http://po.st/legalshrews
Pompey Supporters' Trust and the Football Supporters' Federation have jointly put up a retainer to make sure that fans can get the best advice possible. If you were there on the day then why not come along - you've nothing to lose.
previous article http://www.pompeytrust.com/news/shrewsbury-compensation