Chelsea ticket tout jailed for six months as club’s sting operation leaves ten others facing legal action

Busted | All 11 were ordered to pay the club’s costs adding up to more than £170,000
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
James Olley15 August 2019

Chelsea have launched a crackdown on ticket touts after taking legal action against 11 people, one of whom has been jailed for six months.

The Blues are running an ongoing undercover operation which will continue throughout the 2019-20 season in an effort to tackle the problem in the Stamford Bridge area on and around matchdays.

The club say they will “act to fully enforce” High Court injunctions which stop 11 known touts from trading tickets prior to Chelsea games as well as preventing them from loitering near to the stadium on matchdays.

One individual was sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court relating to an injunction. All 11 were ordered to pay the club’s costs adding up to more than £170,000.

“Ticket touting is known to have links to organised crime,” the club said in a statement this morning. “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.

Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

“Chelsea Football Club already employs a series of visible preventative measures on matchdays to protect our supporters from touting, including signage outside the stadium and along the Fulham Road to inform visitors of the risks of purchasing tickets from unofficial sources.

“We have also agreed the installation of additional signage and matchday messages at Fulham Broadway station.”

Supporters have been reminded to use their official ticket exchange system and invited fans to contact the club with further information on toutinfo@chelseafc.com.

“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,” the club added.

“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.”

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