Covid-19: Amesbury party-goers fined by police

In the week up to 22 March, Wiltshire Police have recorded 282 Covid-related reports, issued nine warnings and issued 41 fines.

A total of 15 people have been fined for breaching lockdown restrictions after police raided a party on Monday night.

Officers from Wiltshire Police discovered the gathering at a business premises in Amesbury at 22:00 GMT.

They were all men aged in their 40s and 50s and were given £200 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

Insp Pete Sparrow said the force "would not turn a blind eye" even though lockdown restrictions could end soon.

He said: "We know that some people may be feeling that the restrictions will soon be lifting and, because cases have started to fall, then we will turn a blind eye to those who flout the law.

"This is not the case - at this current time the national lockdown remains in place and these types of gatherings pose a risk to public health."

Temptation

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills said there had been a rise in fines issued over the past week, largely due to a small amount of indoor gatherings.

He said: "I know, as we edge closer to the date that the Prime Minister has highlighted for his next review of the Covid-19 restrictions, the temptation is there for people to start socialising and go beyond what the law currently allows.

"However, we must remain patient and cautious, if we are to keep the infection rate down."

In the week up to 21 March Wiltshire Police said they had recorded 282 Covid-related reports, issued nine formal warnings and given 41 fines.

On Saturday, five women and a man, aged between 26 and 51, were fined £200 each after Wiltshire Police officers stopped their vehicle in Downtown Road, Salisbury, travelling back from Bournemouth.

The driver and passengers told police their trip was to celebrate one of them getting married soon.

Since the beginning of the pandemic Wiltshire Police had given 821 FPNs for rule breaches.

Up until 14 February almost 70,000 FPNs have been issued in England and Wales for breaking Covid-19 rules, according to the National Police Chiefs Council.