Police officer sacked for ‘tragedy chants’ at Liverpool vs Chelsea game

Sgt Tyler Coppin was sacked for offensive chants made at a Premier league game (Picture: East Anglia News; Getty)

An Essex police officer has been sacked from the force after he was found guilty of ‘tragedy chanting’ at a Liverpool vs Chelsea football game.

Sergeant Tyler Coppin had previously been banned from attending football matches after admitting to the public order offence while at a Premier League match on October 20.

Stewards identified the officer participating in offensive chants and ejecting him from the stadium, where he was then arrested by Merseyside police.

He was later handed a three-year football banning order after admitting to causing harassment, alarm or distress at Sefton Magistrates Court in December, along with a £645 fine.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool competing with Cole Palmer of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield on October 20, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
The chants came during a match between Liverpool and Chelsea in December 2024 (Picture: Liverpool FC)

‘Tragedy chanting’ refers to sports fans chanting, singing or spreading offensive messages about historical disasters or tragedies associated with a football club.

Following the court hearing, Mr Coppin was formally dismissed from the force after a misconduct panel chaired by Essex Police Constable Ben-Julian Harrington found the former sergeant had breached standards of professional behaviour concerning honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.

He was dismissed without further notice and will now be placed on a blacklist barring him from working in policing ever again.

During the hearing, Mr Harrington acknowledged the officer’s remorse and a previously unblemished career in policing, but said he had no choice but to dismiss him as his actions undermined public trust.

EAST ANGLIA NEWS SERVICE, tel 07767 413379 Sgt Tyler Coppin of Essex Police who has been sacked after ???tragedy chanting??? towards Liverpool fans while watching his team Chelsea play at Anfield EAST ANGLIA NEWS SERVICE, tel. 07767 413379 With picture An off duty police sergeant who apparently taunted Liverpool fans about the Hillsborough disaster has been sacked. Sgt Tyler Coppin, 29, was watching his team Chelsea play Liverpool at Anfield when he took part in what Merseyside Police described as ???tragedy chanting???. The incident was witnessed by Liverpool stewards and he was ejected from the Lower Anfield Road stand, and arrested on October 20 last year. The Essex officer admitted behaviour which was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress when he appeared at South Sefton Magistrates court on December 13. Coppin of Colchester, Essex, was given a three year football banning order, and ordered to pay fines and costs of ??645. As a result of his hearing, Chelsea fan Coppin appeared before an Essex Police misconduct panel and was found to have committed gross misconduct last Friday. The panel chaired by Essex Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington found he had breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct. It decided that he should be dismissed without notice and put on the College of Policing barred list. Mr Harrington said Coppin deserved to lose his job, despite showing remorse and having had a previously unblemished career in policing. He added: ???Ex-Sgt Coppin???s dismissal is the result of a moment???s serious stupidity, but this is the only appropriate outcome. ???It is clear that ex-Sgt Coppin was remorseful and may not have been aware of the impact of his words, but he has been criminally convicted of a public order offence. ???His actions will seriously undermine public trust and confidence and I must send a clear message to officers, staff and the wider public that behaviour such as this cannot and will not be tolerated in policing. ???If officers are responsible for upholding the law, it cannot be right that they break it.??? Essex Police today declined to confirm or deny if the chants which Coppin made related to the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 which killed 97 Liverpool fans. Merseyside Police said he had been heard ???tragedy chanting??? towards Liverpool fans at the match. Chief Inspector Kevin Chatterton of Merseyside Police said: ???This type of behaviour has no place in football. ???We will take action and identify those who commit hate crime in any form, and this includes unacceptable chanting which causes distress to others. ???Merseyside Police will work to identify and bring to justice anyone found responsible for committing a hate crime. ???I hope this sends a clear message and acts as a deterrent to others that we will be put you before the courts to be prosecuted.???
Mr Coppin was dismissed after ‘undermining trust in the police force’ (Picture: East Anglia News Service)

‘It is clear that ex-Sgt Coppin was remorseful and may not have been aware of the impact of his words, but he has been criminally convicted of a public order offence,” the chief constable said.

‘His actions will seriously undermine public trust and confidence and I must send a clear message to officers, staff and the wider public that behaviour such as this cannot and will not be tolerated in policing.’

‘If officers are responsible for upholding the law, it cannot be right that they break it.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

About admin