Detective Constable Gordon Irikefe was found to have committed gross misconduct in acts of “unacceptable” football hooliganism at Arsenal games between October 2022 and April last year; the officer was also handed a three-year banning order from any UK football matches.
A Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed after engaging in football hooliganism, which included throwing a flare into a crowd and chanting about a past tragedy while attending matches as a supporter.
Detective Constable Gordon Irikefe, who was attached to the force’s Central South Command Unit, was found guilty of gross misconduct following a series of disruptive and unacceptable behaviors at Arsenal matches between October 2022 and April 2023, the Metropolitan Police confirmed.
Irikefe’s actions led to a three-year football banning order after a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. He was also the subject of a misconduct hearing within the police force, which resulted in his immediate dismissal.
One of the most serious incidents occurred on April 17, 2023, during an away match in Munich. While off duty, Irikefe lit a pyrotechnic device and threw it into the crowd. German authorities arrested him on the same day, issuing an €100 (£83) fine after finding him wearing a full balaclava and sunglasses inside the stadium.
Beyond this, the officer had been flagged multiple times for disorderly and anti-social behavior at football matches, with previous incidents resulting in internal management action. In February 2023, at an away game against Leicester City, Irikefe was heard shouting “helicopter”—a reference to the 2018 helicopter crash that claimed the life of Leicester City’s former owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others.
Additional allegations included making obscene gestures and verbally abusing a substitute player, as well as concealing his identity and intimidating other fans through the use of pyrotechnics.
As part of his football banning order, Irikefe is prohibited from attending any regulated football matches in the UK. He must also surrender his passport if requested for international matches and is restricted from being within one mile of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, or within two miles of any stadium hosting an England national team game, during designated hours. Furthermore, he is barred from entering any town, city, or London borough four hours before and after an away match.
Irikefe resigned from the force on February 12 but was officially dismissed without notice. He has also been placed on the College of Policing’s barred list, preventing him from serving as a police officer in the future.
Detective Superintendent Emma Bond condemned his behavior, stating:
“DC Irikefe has shown an unacceptable pattern of behavior at football matches—conduct that is disgraceful for anyone, let alone a police officer who should uphold the highest standards, whether on or off duty. His actions have not only resulted in a football banning order but have also cost him his career.”
She also commended the efforts of professional standards and football unit officers in gathering evidence that ensured swift and decisive action against Irikefe.
