Region plagued by ‘selfish’ Covidiots
POLICE have strongly criticised “selfish” covid rule-breakers ignoring lockdown rules and “wasting” police time.
The criticism comes after more than 100 cars were turned away from Moel Famau on the Flintshire border on Saturday morning, with motorists continuing to ignore road closures.
In Wales current rules state you must not travel to exercise.
It led to the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones saying a new get tough approach is essential to crack down on those flouting the rules and putting lives at risk.
On Sunday, Flintshire Council was forced to shut the car park to Wepre Park in Connah’s Quay due to the number of visitors flouting lockdown rules.
Individuals have also been arrested over the weekend and taken to custody for failing to provide their details for breaching restrictions.
On Saturday, North Wales Police’s rural crime team wrote on Twitter: “Another day wasted dealing with COVID rule breakers,” adding: “We are seeing people from England and various areas of Wales...so selfish.”
It followed several incidents at the Flintshire beauty spot in recent days, which saw two police cars getting stuck in heavy snow while trying to rescue a motorist who skidded off the road after ignoring a road closure.
And a rescue operation was launched by the North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR) team when two people became “disorientated” in severe weather conditions.
Meanwhile, a woman was caught travelling almost 80 miles to North Wales to “go to the beach”.
And a group of teenagers were stopped on their way to Ogwen Cottage in Snowdonia on Saturday after travelling almost 70 miles to climb Tryfan in the dark – and in trainers. Officers reported the group, who had travelled from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, for flouting lockdown regulations.
Mr Jones, a former police inspector, said: “Unfortunately, there are far too many selfish people who are flouting the guidelines and they are turbo-charging the spread of this deadly virus.” It was unacceptable that ‘brave and selfless officers’ were ‘being put unnecessarily at risk’.