Women fined £10k for Gloucester house party

Police have a legal duty to make sure the Covid rules are enforced

Two women will be fined £10,000 for arranging a house party at the weekend.

Officers from Gloucestershire Constabulary came across the party in Barton Street, Gloucester, in the early hours of Sunday 8 November, after hearing loud music and shouting.

They found more than 30 people at the property and two women told officers they had organised the event.

They will each receive a fixed penalty notice from ACRO Criminal Records Office, a national police unit.

Gatherings of more than two people from different households are illegal in England under the second national lockdown.

The people at the party were dispersed by the officers.

This action follows several arrests and fines at an anti-lockdown protest in Stroud on Saturday, when some people refused to disperse.

Insp Steve Templeton said police had made organisers at the anti-lockdown protest aware they would be breaking the law

Gloucestershire Constabulary said between 80 to 100 people attended the event in Stratford Park.

While most left peacefully, officers arrested people included a 46 year-old woman who failed to leave despite being warned by officers.

A 24-year-old man and 74-year-old woman were also arrested for failing to give their name and address when being given a fixed penalty notice.

The female organiser of the event was fined £10,000.