A Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter has been handed a four-year football banning order after he mocked the victims of the fatal A66 crash in front of Middlesbrough fans during the two clubs' Championship fixture at the Riverside Stadium.

What happened at the Riverside

Bradley Aston, a 20-year-old student from the Coalpool area of Walsall, pleaded guilty to a public order offence on Tuesday following an incident that took place on the Saturday of Middlesbrough's 1-0 victory over Wolves. Footage posted on social media showed Aston smiling and holding a mobile phone displaying the message "Police Killed Your Own" towards the home supporters' end of the ground.

The message referenced a tragedy in August in which seven people, including two police officers, died when a car travelling the wrong way along a dual carriageway on the A66 near Middlesbrough collided with a police vehicle.

Aston was arrested after the footage circulated online. The court heard he had been kept in custody for his own safety following the social media backlash.

Sentencing and the court's view

Deputy district judge Steven Jonas, sitting at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court, described the offence as "unbelievably serious" and made clear that, prior to recent changes introduced by the Sentencing Act 2026, a custodial sentence would have been immediate. Aston received an eight-week jail term, suspended for a year, and was ordered to carry out community work.

"The words that you used were intended to cause not just maximum offence but, as importantly as that, they were intended to provoke a response," the judge said. "And that could have resulted in substantial disorder. Not only have you offended a vast number of people but you deliberately ran the risk of causing a substantial violent reaction."

The banning order stops short of the maximum five years. The judge cited Aston's age and remorse as mitigating factors. His defence solicitor, Askara Rana, told the court her client was embarrassed by his actions and had behaved without thinking, adding: "Not only has he let himself down, he has let his family down, as well as the wider community."

Distress caused to Cleveland Police

A statement from Cleveland Police's chief constable, read to the court, condemned Aston's actions in the strongest terms. It described the message as "vile" and said it had generated "feelings of grief, anger and dismay" among her workforce, officers' families and the wider community. The chief constable warned that some officers who witnessed the footage may never return to active duty as a result of the trauma they have already suffered.

"My officers have faced an unprecedented level of trauma that will stay with them forever," the statement read.

Terms of the ban

Under the banning order, Aston is prohibited from attending Wolves home fixtures at Molineux within a three-mile exclusion zone before, during and after matches. He is also barred from other grounds and from attending matches at Euro 2028. The court heard Aston, a second-year sport performance analysis student, is now considering withdrawing from his course, with the conviction likely to affect his prospects in his chosen field.

Context for the fixture

The incident occurred during a Championship league match, with Middlesbrough running out 1-0 winners on the day. Both clubs have been part of the second tier this season, and encounters between them have historically drawn travelling support in numbers. The case is a reminder of the responsibilities that come with attending football, and of the zero-tolerance approach now applied by courts to behaviour that risks inflaming tensions at grounds.

Frequently asked

What ban did the Wolves fan get for the A66 taunt at Middlesbrough?
Bradley Aston was given a four-year football banning order, an eight-week suspended jail sentence, and was ordered to carry out community service after pleading guilty to a public order offence.
What was the A66 crash that was mocked at the Middlesbrough vs Wolves match?
In August, seven people including two police officers died when a car travelling the wrong way on the A66 dual carriageway near Middlesbrough collided with a police vehicle.
What are the conditions of Bradley Aston's football banning order?
Aston is banned from attending Wolves home matches at Molineux within a three-mile exclusion zone before, during and after games. He is also barred from other grounds and from matches at Euro 2028.