Covid: Parents fined for children breaking lockdown rules

Fixed penalty notices can be issued for most types of breaches

Parents of children who broke lockdown rules by throwing eggs and attending a party over the weekend have been fined by police.

South Wales Police said fixed penalty notices were issued to parents for the covid breaches and anti-social behaviour in St Mellons, Cardiff.

A number of parents were also fined when their children attended a party in Taibach, Neath Port Talbot.

Calls to the force spiked at 1,500 on Saturday and 30 fines were issued.

The force said about 50 acceptable behaviour contracts would be issued to students at a Cardiff halls of residence following reports of a party.

More than 200 of the calls to the force related to concerns about Covid breaches including youths congregating and engaging in antisocial behaviour, house parties, suspected breaches by licensed premises that should be closed, failure of Covid-positive individuals to self-isolate and gatherings at religious settings.

'Take responsibility'

A total of 137 warnings or other police interventions were also handed out, and officers made five anti-social behaviour referrals.

Police said it also made several joint visits to licensed premises, among them a pub in Neath that was found to be continuing to trade despite the firebreak lockdown.

Ch Supt Andy Valentine said: "I think it is telling that among those fined this weekend were a number of parents who clearly weren't ensuring their children were also following the rules.

"If we are to help slow the spread of this virus, each and every one of us must take responsibility and ensure that we - and those dependent upon us - are doing the right thing."

He said officers had also responded to calls over Covid breaches "which while well-intentioned, turned out to not be as reported".

He said: "Responding to those calls takes time... while it is frustrating for those who are complying when they perceive others not to be, it remains extremely important to us as a force that we are dealing with each report on its merit and we continue to respond in a measured and proportionate manner."