UK Plans to Ban Criminals from Pubs, Football Matches, Concerts

The British government is preparing new measures that could see convicted criminals banned from pubs, football matches, concerts, and other public events as part of efforts to ease the country’s overcrowded prison system.

Under the proposed sentencing powers, judges would have greater flexibility to restrict the freedoms of offenders through community-based penalties.

These could include driving bans, travel restrictions, and limits on movement to designated areas. Officials argue that such steps would encourage offenders to return to what they describe as a law-abiding path.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood stressed that those who break the rules of society must face consequences, whether behind bars or within the community. She stated that restricting freedoms for those serving sentences in the community was essential to accountability.

The UK’s prison population has reached record levels, forcing the government to introduce measures such as early prisoner releases to ease chronic overcrowding. 

Britain currently has the highest incarceration rate in Western Europe, according to the World Prison Brief, a global database tracking prison systems.

The government said the new restrictions, set to be unveiled on Sunday, form part of a wider criminal justice reform package aimed at cutting crime while ensuring enough prison spaces remain available for the most serious offenders.