Men arrested after Edgbaston cricket invasion as fans urged to 'think twice'

Three men were arrested after invading Edgbaston Cricket Ground's pitch at the Bears’ Vitality Blast game against Notts Outlaws on Saturday June 1. West Midlands Police confirmed on June 5 that the men, aged 33, 38 and 39, were arrested by police on suspicion of aggravated trespass and interviewed under police caution before being released the following day.

Officers said all three men spent the night in a police cell, and were punished with a community resolution. Following the incident, Edgbaston chief executive Stuart Cain said pitch invasions could have serious consequences and urged fans to "think twice" and enjoy the game from the stands.

Mr Cain said: "It might seem like a bit of fun but running onto the pitch during a game is a criminal offence. It can have serious consequences. People come to watch the Bears and England at Edgbaston as they want to be entertained, they want to have fun in a fantastic atmosphere.

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"But that can’t spill over into pitch invasions. It delays the action, impacts the flow of the game, and could potentially lead to themselves, stewards or players being injured. So we’d just ask spectators to think twice and to enjoy the game from the stands."

West Midlands Police confirmed that all three men were dealt with via community resolution which included paying to attend an awareness course. Insp Richard Cox said: "The men fully admitted the offence and were of previously good character.

"As such, we felt an out-of-court disposal was the most appropriate way of dealing with the matter. However, every case will be reviewed individually and anyone trespassing onto the pitch runs the risk of being taken to court, which can obviously have long lasting implications.

"These men spent the night in police cells, not a good way to end what should have been an enjoyable day at the cricket. Please don’t think it’s just a laugh and you’ll be shown back to your seat.

"Invading the pitch is an offence and can have serious consequences."

The warning followed another incident on May 25 when a protestor emerged from the crowd and sprinted towards players during the men’s England vs Pakistan IT20. He was also arrested and later given a conditional caution.