Dorset-polisiebeamptes berispe nadat hulle aan veldinval deelgeneem het

Three police officers have been reprimanded after taking part in a football pitch invasion.

The off-duty Dorset Police colleagues were caught spilling onto the pitch – among a large crowd of Bournemouth fans – after their side sealed a return to the Premierliga vroeër vandeesmaand.

Fans could be seen letting off flares and surrounding the players and staff in celebration on the Vitality Stadium turf.

Superintendent Sarah Derbyshire, 49, was one of the off-duty officers at the forefront of the celebrations on May 3.

She and the two other officers were spotted on CCTV by police colleagues, who were reviewing the footage after the game.

Dorset Police says the three officers have since been ‘asked to reflect on their involvement’ in the pitch invasion.

The force says a message has also been sent to other staff reiterating the ‘high standards of behaviour’ expected of them.

It is illegal for fans to go onto the playing area, without lawful authority or lawful excuse, contrary to the Football (Offences) daad 1991.

A Dorset Police statement said: ‘On Tuesday May 3 2022 AFC Bournemouth played Nottingham Forest and secured promotion to the Premier League, which led to a pitch invasion by a large number of AFC Bournemouth fans following the final whistle.

‘An internal report was subsequently made to the Force’s Professional Standards Department that stated off-duty Dorset Police officers were involved in the pitch invasion.

‘Three police officers were identified and were asked to reflect on their involvement.

‘Following the game, a message was issued internally reminding all officers and staff of the high standards of behaviour expected of them both in and out of work and reiterating that no matter how exciting it is for their team to win promotion to the Premier League, they must not be involved in pitch invasions.’

Ms Derbyshire and two of her colleagues were seen celebrating on the pitch as the Bournemouth fans took to the grass where some supporters set off smoke bombs.

'N Bron vertel Die son: ‘When police were looking through the footage they had the shock of their lives when they saw the superintendent on the pitch celebrating.

‘There were a couple of other officers from the force who got carried away and ran on to the pitch to jump up and down with the crowd.

‘None of the officers caused any trouble and it was all good-natured. But the law is the law and clearly they, van alle mense, should have been aware that what they were doing was illegal.’

A source told the paper that the Superintendent’s family are all diehard Bournemouth fans, and that she is ‘only human’ as the ’emotion on Bournemouth winning promotion clearly got to her’.

Currently on attachment to the inspectorate of constabulary, Superintendent Derbyshire used to be a detective running a major crime team, looking into murders and serious offences.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services said: ‘We are aware an employee of Dorset Police currently seconded to HMICFRS was involved in an incident earlier this month.

‘It is a matter for Dorset Police as the individual’s employer to take appropriate action.’

It comes after a number of recent pitch invasions at matches, including one in which Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp was headbutted by Nottingham Forest fan Robert Biggs at the end of the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final second leg.

Electrical engineer Biggs, 30, of Derbyshire, headbutted the striker after storming onto the pitch after Nottingham Forest beat Sharp’s team 3-2 on penalties on 17 Mei.

Hy is tronk toe gestuur vir 24 weeks and was also handed a 10-year football banning order after pleading guilty to assault at Nottingham Magistrates’ Hof.

The court heard how he had consumed ‘a quantity of alcohol’ before carrying out the ‘senseless act of violence’, which the judge said demanded a custodial sentence.

The stocky supporter in yellow broke away from the celebrations to charge headfirst into Sharp who was standing with his arms crossed in the technical area at the City Ground.

Footage of the incident was captured live on Sky Sports and shows Sharp being floored having not seen his attacker coming.

Mr Sharp, who previously played for Forest, needed stitches. The footballer said the morning after the incident: ‘One mindless idiot ruined what was an unbelievable night of football.

‘Congratulations to Nottingham Forest on their victory and good luck in the final. As an ex Forest player I will not let one scumbag ruin my respect for the Forest fans.’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman also called a pitch invasion at Manchester City’s ground ‘concerning’ after Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen was reportedly assaulted as home supporters celebrated.

It comes as yesterday it was revealed how Patrick Viera will not face any police action after his clash with an Everton fan last week.

The Crystal Palace manager was confronted by a supporter who goaded and abused the Frenchman during the pitch invasion that followed Everton’s 3-2 wen.

Having initially tried to ignore the provocation Vieira kicked out the supporter who was also recording the incident.

Along with the FA Merseyside Police also investigated the incident though the latter confirmed: ‘Merseyside Police has concluded enquiries into an altercation on the pitch at Goodison Park following the Everton v Crystal Palace match on Thursday (19 Mei).

‘We worked with Everton FC to gather all available CCTV footage and spoke to witnesses.

‘Officers have spoken to both men involved and the opportunity to make a formal complaint or support a prosecution was declined.’

Vieira warned English football’s pitch invasion problem is bigger than the well-documented flashpoint he was involved in and clash with and that ‘there is a big issue on the FA and Premier League’s plate to deal with.’

Hy het gesê: ‘I think the Everton incident is bigger than just that incident.

‘When you look at it in the Premier League, there were a lot of field invasions that can cause trouble.

‘There are real issues here to reflect on and try to see what is the best way to manage it and to deal with it.

‘You don’t know what can happen. When you don’t know what can happen of course you fear for anything, Selfs Thomas Tuchel.

‘We want to be safe and the best way to do that is we need to reflect on what is the best way for those kind of things not to happen on the field.

'As afrigter, bestuurder, player or staff we want to be safe in our workplace. I think there is a big issue on the FA and Premier League’s plate to deal with.

‘They need the support and the club and the players to get involved. Everybody has to take responsibility and see what is the best way for those things not to happen.’

Vieira added: ‘I am not there [charged by the FA] tog. I will participate with the FA and talk about the incident and give my opinion and my view.

‘Weereens, it is not about just that incident. It is about all the incidents and I think it happened too often in the last couple of weeks and we need to reflect on that and make a decision so players, staff and fans can be safe going to watch football matches.’

In a separate incident, Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen was attacked as Manchester City fans celebrated their Premier League title win by invading the pitch on Sunday.

City issued a statement to apologise, saying they had launched an investigation to identify and ban the fan responsible.

Greater Manchester Police also charged two men following the pitch invasion.

City boss Pep Guardiola added: ‘I’m so sorry on behalf of the club. It is difficult to think why people react in that way. Hopefully we can discover the person and he can be punished.’

Speaking about pitch invasions, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said: ‘All of a sudden in these last few weeks and months we’ve got these idiots not just running on the pitch, which to be fair is a problem, but actually if you’re attacking players then what the hell are you doing?

‘They’re delirious, they’ve won the league, I get that. But attacking opposition players on the pitch? Where has this come from? It’s absolutely ridiculous.

‘There’s this real sort of threat now and feeling that fans could start to attack people.’

Roy Keane, another Sky pundit, bygevoeg: ‘It’s disgraceful. It really is. A player or a manager is going to be seriously injured.

‘If you’re mad enough to come on and punch a player then you’re going to be mad enough to do something silly like stab a player. There will be something crazy happen.

‘People have come back after Covid and forgotten how to behave themselves. Idiots, scumbags.

‘Dit is 'n skande. We’ve seen it at Forest and with Patrick Vieira. It’s absolutely disgraceful.’

The FA said it is investigating incidents of fans invading the field.

In a statement on Friday, the FA called on clubs to ‘play a vital role’ and prevent pitch invasions as well as ‘taking their own action’. The FA said it was ‘reviewing our regulations to help stamp this behaviour out and to ensure the safety of everyone inside a stadium’.

The FA added: ‘Football stadiums should always be a safe and enjoyable space for everyone, and these incidents are completely unacceptable and have no place in our game.

‘It is illegal to enter the pitch area in any stadium and these actions are putting players, fans and people who run the game at great risk. This simply cannot continue and we can confirm that we are investigating all of the incidents.’