Expelled fan given World Cup warning

The authorities want to protect fans from trouble

The first England football fan to be refused entry to South Korea has arrived in Germany after being banished from South Korea.

Andrew Cooper, 37, from Derby, was detained in Seoul by the South Korean authorities on Sunday.

The Derby County supporter was held at the airport and was put on the first flight back to Germany, where he had originally boarded a flight to South Korea.

Mr Cooper had been warned by police not to travel to the tournament.

His details had been passed by Derbyshire Police to the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) as part of a continuing drive against hooliganism.

British law enforcement is totally serious about making every effort to prevent known hooligans ruining the tournament for others

National Criminal Intelligence Service spokesman

The NCIS said on Monday that it did not know when Mr Cooper, who was jailed for four months in 1999 for possessing CS gas, was expected to return to the UK.

A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: "In a continued effort to pro-actively respond to football hooliganism, Derbyshire Police provided the National Criminal Intelligence Service with a number of target profiles prior to the World Cup in Japan and Korea.

"Derbyshire Police advised Mr Cooper that this profile had been provided to NCIS and what the likely consequences of him travelling to Korea or Japan would be."

A NCIS spokesman confirmed that there had been no banning order against Mr Cooper.

But the NCIS spokesman said the action against the Derby fan showed the precautions taken by the English authorities were working.

'Waste of money'

"People without banning orders who think they can get in behind the backs of the authorities are finding out that they cannot," he said.

"British law enforcement is totally serious about making every effort to prevent known hooligans ruining the tournament for others.

"It is a lot of money to waste to be refused entry to countries a long way away."

A total of 1,007 alleged hooligans have been banned from travelling to the World Cup, under the Football Disorder Act, introduced after trouble at Euro 2000.

Those banned have had to surrender their passports until the tournament is over.

Other potential troublemakers have been warned their details have been sent to Japan and South Korea.

They face intensive checks in either country and are likely to be refused entry.

Derby County football club said Mr Cooper was banned from the club's ground, Pride Park, for a year following his conviction.

However, a spokesman said it was unlikely the club could take any further action against him if no criminal charges were brought.

England play all their first round matches in Japan - against Sweden on 2 June, Argentina on 7 June and Nigeria on 12 June.