Almost 50 fans arrested at Black Country football grounds in five months
Almost 50 people were arrested at football grounds across the Black Country in the first five months of 2019.
West Brom saw the most arrests made at The Hawthorns compared to Wolves, Aston Villa and Walsall between January and May, while February was the month where the most arrests were made across all four clubs.
The figures, released by West Midlands Police through a freedom of information request, show that 48 people were arrested at the four stadiums over the five-month period, with offences ranging from assault to possession of drugs.
At The Hawthorns, 18 people were arrested over the five-month period, but only five of them were home supporters, and the remaining 13 were away fans.
Of the 18 arrested, only one was under 18, 10 were aged 18-30 and seven were aged 31 to 64.
Villa Park had 16 people arrested during this time, nine home and seven away fans, with one aged under 18, 12 aged 18-30 and three aged 31-64.
Molineux saw 12 people arrested, five aged 18-30 and seven aged 31-64, with four of them home supporters and eight away fans.
Walsall's The Banks's Stadium saw only two people arrested over the five-month period, with both of them aged 31-84 and both away supporters.
Overall, the majority of those arrested were aged 18-30, totalling 27 people, as 19 people aged 31-64 were arrested and only two aged under 18.
February was the busiest month for officers at the four stadiums with a combined 15 arrests.
It was also the month where Aston Villa and West Brom saw the most arrests, with six each, while Wolves had six in March, their most in any month.
Both of the arrests in Walsall came in April.
In terms of offences, the most arrests were made for fear or provocation of violence and intentional harassment, alarm and distress, which both recorded seven arrests.
There were six arrests made for assault and four for assault on police and three each for drugs, breach of peace, pitch encroachment and affray.
Two arrests were were made for each offence of obstructing police, being drunk and disorderly and throwing a missile, while only one arrest was made for each offence of being drunk entering a stadium, possession of a flare or firework and indecent or racist chanting.
