Stephen Connolly, 62, of Kirkby, Merseyside, has been issued a three-year Football Banning Order after being convicted of a Section 5 public order offence following a Merseyside Derby (Everton v Liverpool).
A three-year Football Banning Order was issued to Connolly at South Sefton Magistrates’ Court on 3 February 2026, according to police and local reporting. Merseyside Police say he was identified from matchday CCTV and body-worn camera footage that captured him making “tragedy chants”—offensive remarks or gestures referencing past football disasters aimed at upsetting opposing fans.
Officers from Merseyside Police’s Dedicated Football Officer unit tracked and identified Connolly after the match; the evidence gathered led to his prosecution and the banning order. Police say the action is part of intensified enforcement to tackle abusive and disorderly behaviour at football matches.
Local reporting notes Connolly has been issued a three-year Football Banning Order, which prevents him from attending regulated football matches for three years. Crown Prosecution Service guidance (updated in 2023) makes clear that “tragedy-related” abuse can be prosecuted as a public order offence, and police and prosecutors say they are using that guidance when pursuing such cases to protect victims and make stadiums safer for all supporters.
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