A Met officer has been sacked from the force for engaging in football hooliganism while wearing a balaclava at an Arsenal match.

Detective Constable Gordon Irikefe was dismissed following a misconduct hearing in relation to numerous acts of hooliganism at Arsenal matches between October 2022 and April 2024.

A misconduct hearing was held last week for Arsenal supporter Detective Constable Gordon Irikefe, attached to Central South Command Unit, following his behaviour at a Bayern Munich v Arsenal match.

The hearing followed allegations DC Irikefe lit and threw a pyrotechnic flare into the crowd while attending an Arsenal vs Bayern Munich match while off-duty on Wednesday, 17 April last year.

DC Irikefe was arrested by German police on the same day for wearing a full balaclava and sunglasses inside the stadium. He was fined 100 Euros for the ‘masking’ offence.

The court heard that DC Irikefe’s anti-social behavior at football matches had been flagged to police on numerous occasions priot to the incident in Germany, for which he had also been disciplined, receiving management action.

In February 2023 he was also heard ‘tragedy chanting’ at a Leicester City march, shouting ‘helicopter’ at opposition fans.

Other allegations included making lewd gestures and shouting abuse at a substitute player, ‘masking up’ to conceal his identity and intimidating other fans including using pyrotechnics.

In addition to losing his job, the officer has also been handed a three-year on attending football games.

Following the ruling, DC Irikefe is now banned from attending any regulated football matches in the UK and must surrender his passport when asked to do so in relation to football matches played outside the UK.

He cannot go within one mile of the Emirates stadium if Arsenal are playing four hours before and after the match, nor visit any town, city or London borough four hours before and after an away match.

He must not go without two miles of any stadium where the England national team are playing four hours before and after the match.

DC Irikefe will also be placed on the barred list held by the College of Policing, which prevents him from being employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

Detective Superintendent Emma Bond, in charge of policing for the Central South area, said: ‘DC Irikefe has shown an unacceptable pattern of behaviour at football matches, for anyone, let alone a police officer who should uphold the highest of standards whether on or off duty.

‘His actions have not only seen him now subject to a football banning order, but have also cost him his job.

‘I am grateful to professional standards and football unit colleagues for pulling together the evidence in this case to ensure we have been able to take decisive action.’

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