BANNING ORDERS TO BE EXTENDED

Tougher application of football banning orders will come into force next week, the Home Office announced yesterday. The government believes that banning orders have transformed the behaviour of unruly supporters and claims that the measures are now being replicated by other countries.

The Violent Crime Reduction Act, which comes into force next Friday, will increase from three to five years the maximum period of a banning order made after an application by the police, and for the first time the Crown Prosecution Service and British Transport Police will be able to apply for banning orders, a power previously limited to local chief police officers.

Police will also be able to apply for a banning order on the basis of a complaint - such as overseas police film footage of misbehaviour - rather than only on a conviction for a football-related offence. The act will also require known troublemakers to surrender their passports five days before an overseas match.

New ticket-touting laws will also come in, with a maximum £5,000 fine for unauthorised sale of match tickets on the internet - and it will become illegal to advertise the unauthorised sale of tickets.

Vernon Coaker, the Home Office minister dealing with football disorder, said: "Over the weekend 4,500 England fans travelled to Israel without any incidents or arrests . . . the behaviour and reputation of the fans has improved dramatically over recent years."

England fans passed a crucial test with their largely good behaviour at last summer's World Cup, when some 350,000 supporters travelled to Germany. The Home Office said arrests for violent disorder had fallen by 32% in each of the past two seasons. There are currently 3,290 known troublemakers under banning orders.

Coaker said: "In light of recent football problems in Italy and elsewhere, the Home Office and police are working closely with their counterparts across Europe and with Uefa. Our banning-order strategy is based on partnership with supporter groups and the police."