County police hand out 43 fines for breaching rules

POLICE have revealed how many fines were handed out across Staffordshire to those breaching the coronavirus rules.

More than 40 fines were handed out but Staffordshire Police is still among the forces to have issued the fewest penalties for breaches of Covid-19 restrictions since the start of the pandemic in the UK.

These offences have included organising raves, failing to selfisolate and businesses not complying with orders to close. In total they handed out 43 fines. Data released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) found that 20,223 fines were issued across England and Wales between March 27 and October 19.

That breaks down to 17,451 in England and 2,772 in Wales.

NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt said: “We have seen an increase in enforcement activity in the last month, reflecting new regulations coming into effect, and a shift towards quicker enforcement against those knowingly breaking the rules.

“Where people don’t listen to police officers’ encouragement then we will take action. That is our job and I believe the public expect us to do that.

“Coronavirus is something we have all had to rapidly adapt to, and officers have had to pick up new regulations in a record pace and apply them across the population.

“The number of instances where enforcement action is necessary at all is a small fraction of the total engagement we have had with the public.

“Enforcement doesn’t and shouldn’t always equal police involvement. Individuals, businesses and a range of agencies all have a responsibility to ensure the virus is suppressed, and police will continue to play their part.”