Over 15,000 fines have been handed out in England for alleged breaches of coronavirus lockdown rules.
A total of 15,715 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were recorded by police forces up to June 8th, according information released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).
The majority of fines issued were to males in the 18-24 age group and were issued for reasons such as driving with non-household members, house parties, large gatherings of people from different households and camping.
The fixed penalty notices originally carried fines of £60, which would be reduced to £30 if paid within two weeks. Fines were also doubled for each repeat offence up to a £960 maximum. From May 13th the level of fines was then increased to £100, reducing to £50 if paid within 14 days, with the maximum fine rising to £3,200 for repeat offenders.
NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt said: “We’re now near to closing the first month away from full lockdown.
“Soon, shops will be open again, and there will be more people outdoors going about their business.
“Our approach of engaging, explaining and encouraging continues to be successful. Since measures eased in England, the number of fines issued has seen a sustained fall.
“Behind each fine is a case where someone has failed to listen and do the right thing.
“A fine is issued following engagement to establish the circumstances, explanation of what the regulations are and why they’re in breach of them, and encouragement to stop their activity and return home.”
“Officers have used their common sense and discretion to take in to account people’s individual circumstances. We will only enforce as a last resort, against those who are in clear breach of the regulations.
“I would like to thank the vast majority of people who are continuing, as they have always done, to abide by the lockdown measures and the Government’s advice.”
Here are the total number of fines issued by police forces between March 27th and June 8th:
– Avon and Somerset: 342
– Bedfordshire: 291
– British Transport Police (BTP): 325
– Cambridgeshire: 134
– Cheshire: 199
– City of London: 66
– Cleveland: 299
– Cumbria: 597
– Derbyshire: 251
– Devon and Cornwall: 948
– Dorset: 819
– Durham: 170
– Essex: 241
– Gloucestershire: 234
– Greater Manchester: 304
– Hampshire: 244
– Hertfordshire: 269
– Humberside: 121
– Kent: 117
– Lancashire: 770
– Leicestershire: 365
– Lincolnshire: 231
– Merseyside: 487
– Metropolitan Police: 1,063
– MoD Police: 35
– Norfolk: 411
– North Yorkshire: 1,082
– Northamptonshire: 365
– Northumbria: 272
– Nottinghamshire: 185
– South Yorkshire: 377
– Staffordshire: 41
– Suffolk: 259
– Surrey: 498
– Sussex: 849
– Thames Valley: 816
– Warwickshire: 58
– West Mercia: 176
– West Midlands: 393
– West Yorkshire: 826
– Wiltshire: 185
