A 37-year-old man from Hull is set to face court following allegations that he coached youth football teams across Hull and East Yorkshire despite being explicitly banned from working with children.
Humberside Police have confirmed that Courtney Branagan, of Hull, has been formally charged with engaging in regulated activity with children while appearing on the Children’s Barred List. The charge relates to a two-year period in which Branagan allegedly continued to hold coaching roles, despite having been prohibited from such positions by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) as far back as 2019.
The Disclosure and Barring Service maintains the Children’s Barred List as a critical safeguard to prevent individuals who pose a potential risk from working in positions involving regulated activity with minors. Being placed on this list means an individual is legally prohibited by the state from undertaking any role—paid or voluntary—that involves close, unsupervised contact with children.
Authorities have launched a thorough investigation into the claims, which suggest that Branagan successfully bypassed these vetting safeguards to operate within the local youth football circuit for several years after his ban was enacted. The revelation has sent shockwaves through the local sports community, raising urgent questions regarding the oversight of coaching appointments and the rigour of safeguarding checks currently being conducted at the grassroots level.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Humberside Police said: “Courtney Branagan, 37, of Hull, has been charged with engaging in regulated activity with children whilst being on the Children’s Barred List. The charge follows an investigation into reports that he continued to coach youth football teams in Hull and East Yorkshire between 2019 and 2021.”
The case has highlighted the immense responsibility placed on sports clubs to ensure that all staff and volunteers undergo valid, up-to-date DBS checks before being allowed to interact with young players. Football associations across the country often mandate these background checks, but this case will likely prompt a review of how such prohibitions are communicated and enforced at the local level.
Branagan has been released on bail ahead of his scheduled court appearance. He is due to appear before Hull Magistrates’ Court on 13 November to answer the charge.
As legal proceedings are now active, Humberside Police have declined to provide further details regarding the specific clubs involved or the exact nature of the sessions Branagan allegedly led. For now, the focus remains on the upcoming court date, which will mark the first formal stage of the legal process regarding these serious allegations. Parents and members of the community concerned about safeguarding protocols are encouraged to contact their local sports governing bodies for information on verifying staff credentials.
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