The hearing into Town’s claim that Suffolk Constabulary unlawfully charged them for policing costs in the roads surrounding the ground on match days between 2008 and 2013 began at the High Court in London today. The Blues, who issued the writ a year ago, are suing for more than £200,000.

In 2012 the High Court ruled that West Yorkshire Police had overcharged Leeds United for "special police services" between 2009 and 2012, the Whites having argued that policing the roads and car parks around Elland Road is not their responsibility.

As a result of that ruling, Town were amongst a number of clubs to take similar action to reclaim cash previously paid - plus interest - for policing around stadia on match days. The Blues were charged from £5,926 to £25,242 per fixture.

Suffolk Constabulary argue that the policing of closed roads such as Portman Road and Sir Alf Ramsey Way is inseparably linked to that inside the stadium and is therefore the club’s responsibility.

Nick De Marco, for Town, told Mr Justice Green that the club "has been and currently is being charged by the police for ordinary policing on the public highway".

He continued: "This is unlawful as the police may not charge for discharging their normal policing duties."

Dijen Basu QC, for Suffolk Constabulary, said there is a difference between the situations at Town and Leeds with match days in and around Portman Road "very peaceful indeed".

"That is a key distinction between the present case and that of Leeds United, whose fans have a very bad reputation for disorder," he added.

Suffolk Constabulary has subsequently issued a counterclaim against Town for more than £96,000 in unpaid invoices.

The hearing is expected to be concluded on Thursday but is concerned only with liability with the amount of any award to be decided at a later date.

Photo: Action Images

MaySixth added 17:42 - Jun 8 http://www.blackstonechambers.com/people/barristers/nick_de_marco.html
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TractorCam added 17:42 - Jun 8 Excellent, we can buy 20 Piotr Malarczyk's with that!
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ElderGrizzly added 17:45 - Jun 8 You've got the Wigan one too Phil - http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/wigan-win-ba Over £300k on that one.
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Seasider added 18:14 - Jun 8 Marcus doesn't seem to win many friends where money is concerned; but that's probably why he is a rich man.Presume the unpaid invoices are because Mr Evans disputes the legality of them;but its not the first invoice that he has been slow to pay
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Mark added 19:37 - Jun 8 We pay for ITFC through our season tickets and Suffolk Police through our Council tax, so what a shame to see some of it wasted in legal costs.
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Radlett_blue added 08:14 - Jun 9 Why don't we agree to pay, but on condition that we can play Norwich at 3:00 on a Saturday?
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SouperJim added 09:17 - Jun 9 I applaud the club for challenging this. They're taking the rise.
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bluelady added 10:22 - Jun 9 i really don't get how the club can claim this. on a normal Saturday you would be unlikely to see a police officer roaming the streets around the ground, when a match is on they are very much needed to control the crowds etc - therefore taking the resource away from other parts of the town OR as is usually the case having to pay overtime for police who are on leave to come in and cover the area around the ground therefore at a cost to Suffolk police?

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bluelady added 10:23 - Jun 9 that said 25K does seem extreme!!!!
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ThatMuhrenCross added 10:54 - Jun 9 DISGUSTING from our Club!!! I absolutely HATE how detached football is becoming from the rest of the world these days - if you put on an event, of course any policing directly linked to it should be your responsibility!!!!!! Our police force is struggling as it is, and I can fully see this £200k meaning they have to cut jobs to foot the bill - it will be hard-working citizens that become the victims of this. It seems football now has a culture of happily paying prima donna footballers £200k a week, yet being tight about paying the tea lady £15k a year. Ipswich Town Football Club, I really thought you were better than that. Livid!!

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SouperJim added 11:17 - Jun 9 People are missing the point here for me. It's the cost of policing us football fans, who already pay our taxes. It's not the football club who create disorder. Whatever next, pubs to pay to police taxi ranks? Seems the done thing nowadays to be able to charge twice for a single service. A bit like me having to pay to get my brown bin emptied, despite already paying my council tax. Just doesn't sit right with me.

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bluelady added 11:35 - Jun 9 no SouperJim pubs and clubs pay private bouncers and taxi ranks nowadays have additional staff to make sure people to taxi hop etc. if music festivals want additional police they pay for that service. you would have to pay for your brown bin to be emptied twice - you are effectively asking the police to do their day job of fighting crime on our streets and cover additional service. with the highly inflated gate fees we are charged at town I would imagine this extra cost is factored in, we are certainly not paying for the quality of football!!

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ThatMuhrenCross added 12:14 - Jun 9 Nah I'm not having that SouperJim! If it weren't for The Club putting on matches, those 20,000 people wouldn't be crammed into such a small area. A typical match day causes a great deal of disruption - increased traffic, closed roads, litter, anti-social behaviour, etc... Those issues have to be paid for somehow, and to be honest, it's not fair that tax payers money is used for the benefit of super-rich football clubs and football fans having a day out! It's great that our town has a decent sized football club that we can all go and watch every other week - but for that, The Club has to pay its dues.

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SouperJim added 13:29 - Jun 9 Muhren, to make the comparison again; If it weren't for town center pubs and clubs selling alcohol, those 20,000 people wouldn't be crammed into such a small area. A typical Friday night causes a great deal of disruption - increased traffic, closed roads, litter, anti-social behaviour, etc... Those issues have to be paid for somehow, and to be honest, it's not fair that tax payers money is used for the benefit of super-rich breweries and drinkers having a night out! Fwiw, I have some sympathy with your arguement and I also take bluelady's comparison with music festivals. However, I am of the view that the police are a public service, not a private security firm. It's their duty to police our streets and this should be paid for by the taxpayer regardless. Otherwise where do you draw the line?

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Bergholtblue added 16:50 - Jun 9 Someone is going to earn big from this and it won't be Town or the Police. Are Town able to employ private firms to do this or does it have to be Suffolk Constabulary? because if it is the latter then they shouldn't have to pay.
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blueboy1981 added 17:40 - Jun 9 This is another example of how our Club has degenerated - being dragged through the Courts again over disputed Invoices apparently. Simple: - If I were in charge of the Suffolk Police, I would tell the Club to get on with it, and react to disturbance if it occurred - by which time innocent people (maybe Children included) may well have been hurt. Is that what we want ? - OF COURSE NOT. Begs the Question to be asked - once again - Whatever has happened to OUR once great Club ... ???

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blueboy1981 added 17:47 - Jun 9 ......... a Police presence is a 'deterent' - without a shadow of doubt. So - Why should the Streets be deprived of that presence (paid for by Taxpayers) - for the sake of a multi millionaire Football Club owner, saving a few 'peanuts' for himself ..... without any payment ??? All about priorities, and fairness - like it, or not.
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blueboy1981 added 17:58 - Jun 9 ..... another reason for me not putting anymore money into the Club - focussed entirely now on ripping people off - including the POLICE. Grieves me, after more years than I care to remember - my stance is individually minimal - but absolutely correct. Just gives us all an uneasy feeling of what's coming out of the Club next ...... !!!
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Bobajobblue added 22:43 - Jun 9 The policing of a football match requires policing over and above that normally rostered, therefore officers are paid overtime to resource the match. This a a marginal cost increase over the normal policing budget. It is only fair that the club pick up this extra cost. The clubs argument that they do not control the area around the ground is ludicrous, If they don't, why do they close the road and get their programme sellers to sell on the road and pavements. I love this club but am embarrassed by their stance on this. Even the FA question their morality, which is saying something.

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LuciBlue added 23:08 - Jun 9 Doesn't the policing of crowds anywhere come under the remit of the police though? A protest march, turning on Christmas lights or a bus parade if a local team wins something etc Why do some events get costs reimbursed but others do not?
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SouperJim added 10:42 - Jun 10 Exactly my point LuciBlue. Double standards, some fans will leap at any opportunity to criticise the club but there is clearly a debate to be had here about the way the police are funded.
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