Covid notices: What happens when you break restrictions in NI?

Over the weekend, Covid and prohibition notices were issued as part of a clampdown on parties in the Holyland and Stranmillis areas in Belfast

Police in Northern Ireland have been handing out Covid and prohibition notices, but what actually happens with you break the rules?

BBC News NI has asked the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) what the notices mean for people and businesses caught flouting the rules.

The PSNI said there are three types of notices that can be issued for people breaking the rules.

This is based on guidance outlined in The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020, which was introduced in March in response to the rising number of Covid-19 cases.

Covid 1 notices

The first type of notice is a Covid 1 notice, which carries a minimum £60 fine.

Police can issue any number of "COV1s" to the same person, over the age of 18, up to the value of £960.

A number of house parties have been held in Belfast's Holyland area in the past week, despite Covid-19 guidance

A number of these were handed out in Holyland and Stranmillis areas of Belfast over the weekend.

Police said they were trying to tackle "antisocial and criminal activity" in the areas, which have many student tenants.

Covid 2 notice (aka prohibition notice)

These are also known as prohibition notices.

Police said prohibition notices are issued as a public safety measure.

It requires premises to stop what enforcement officers consider to be unsafe activity, to limit the spread of Covid-19 and prevent a second wave of the virus.

Police say it is "in effect, a warning for the purposes of stopping the person from continuing to breach the regulations".

A prohibition notice was served to a bar in County Fermanagh

The Covid 2 notices are broken down into two types: prohibition notice issued to licensed premises and prohibition notices issued for the restriction of gatherings in a private dwelling, such as house parties.

There is no associated financial penalty issued with an initial prohibition notice.

However, should a premises breach the prohibition notice served then there is a potential financial penalty of up to £5,000, upon conviction.

Covid 3 notice

And last, but not least, we come to the Covid 3 notice, which is for failing to isolate. It carries a £1,000 fine.

Anyone travelling to Northern Ireland from countries not on the so-called green list of exemptions is required to self-isolate for two weeks on arrival.

According to NI Direct, if you have travelled through a country outside of the common travel area (CTA) you must self-isolate at the address you provided on the contact detail declaration form upon your return.

You are not allowed to change the place where you are self-isolating except in very limited circumstances.

While they are not Covid-specific notices, police can also issue community resolution notices, also known as CRNs, to anyone over the age of 10.

These are simply warnings and do not incur any fines but are designed to reduce the impact on people's lives "compared to other non-court disposals and encourages them to change their behaviour and not re-offend".