Eighteen suspects are to appear before court charged in connection with disorder in Maidstone which surrounded last year’s UEFA Euro football tournament.
The charges relate to disturbances in the town centre – including incidents after the final between England and Italy on 11 July 2021 – and are in connection to alleged assaults on police and damage to cars and other property.
Twelve men will appear before Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on 14 December 2022 charged with violent disorder.
Four boys aged 17 and two boys aged 16 were also charged, in connection with violent disorder and criminal damage offences.
Police officers injured
Superintendent Richard Woolley, divisional commander for west Kent, said: ‘This extensive investigation has led to a total of 24 charges, linked to simply unacceptable disorder and violence in Maidstone town centre – some of which led to our officers being injured.
‘We will always seek to prosecute those we believe are involved in football related criminality, whether that is within a stadium or on our streets and I’d like to reassure residents that with the 2022 World Cup taking place over the next few weeks, we will be implementing measures to ensure this tournament is remembered for all the right reasons. This will include an increased visible presence of patrols in our town centres and proactive work with pubs and other licensed premises, to help us deter and also quickly respond to any issues or concerns.’