General election candidate jailed over Covid fine

Dr Anne McCloskey is running as an independent in Foyle in the general election

A candidate in the upcoming Westminster elections has been jailed after refusing to pay a fine.

Dr Anne McCloskey, 67, appeared at Londonderry Magistrates' Court in connection with an unpaid Covid fine of £255.

She was given an immediate warrant to pay the amount or go to prison for 14 days.

Dr McCloskey, of Chapel Road in Derry, is running as an independent in Foyle in the UK general election.

The fine was imposed in 2022 for a breach of Covid regulations.

The NI Court Service confirmed Dr McCloskey had been sent to Hydebank Wood Prison.

'Nonsense'

District Judge Barney McElholm told the defendant he was willing to give her time to pay but if not, he would impose an immediate warrant with prison in lieu.

Dr McCloskey accused court officials of "fraud" by entering a plea of not guilty for her in relation to the original offences.

The defendant went on to say she had been arrested on the foot of "a fake entity" - namely the Director of Public Prosecution who she said did "not exist in law or statute".

As the defendant continued to speak, Judge McElholm muted her microphone and said she was talking "nonsense".

He said he had never met the DPP personally but was pretty sure he existed.

The judge said he had given Dr McCloskey an opportunity but she had gone off on "a diatribe".

Who is Dr McCloskey?

Dr McCloskey was fined for breaching Covid regulations while speaking at an anti-lockdown rally in November 2020 in Derry.

She had been suspended from practising as a GP for six months from 24 October 2023 over comments about the Covid-19 vaccination.

She had expressed concerns in a social media video about young people taking Covid jabs, in August 2021.

She lost an appeal against that decision in January 2024.

A full list of all candidates standing in the general election in Northern Ireland can be found here.