People who broke rules by having parties and barbecues must now pay bigger fines

COSTS MOUNT AFTER THEY FAIL TO PAY UP FOR COVID BREACHES

FIVE Covid rule breakers who left their fines unpaid have been ordered by the courts to pay thousands of pounds more.

The individuals were given fines in incidents in Derby, the Peak District and Chesterfield.

Four were given a £60 fine at the time of the incident, which could have been cut in half if paid within 14 days.

A fifth person, who illegally attended a house party in Chesterfield, was fined £120, with no reduction offered due to it being the second ticket the man had received.

After all five failed to pay any of the fines, they were brought before a court and ordered to cough up a combined £6,000 extra between them.

The incidents that bought about the original fines, and what the additional fines and costs are as follows:

Man, aged 59, on April 18 in Chellaston, Derby. Reports of a group at a house. Police attended and the group refused to disperse. The man was abusive towards officers. Received a £1,100 fine, £85 in costs and £110 victim surcharge.

Man, aged 65 on April 25, in Grassmoor, Chesterfield. He had travelled to Grassmoor to visit girlfriend. His home address was found to be a caravan site that was being used by key workers who were having to stay away from their families in order to protect them. He received a £379 fine, £85 in costs and £37 victim surcharge.

Man, aged 20, April 26, in Loundsley Green, Chesterfield. Officers attended reports of a house party. People inside were checked and the man was found to already have been given a ticket which had been subsequently rescinded. He received a £666 fine, £85 in costs and £66 victim surcharge.

Man, aged 37, on April 27, in Longshaw in the Peak District. He had travelled from Sheffield to camp and have a barbecue. He refused to give details to a police officer and was obstructive. He received a £1,760 fine, £85 in costs and £176 victim surcharge.

Woman, aged 32, on April 27, in Longshaw in the Peak District. She had travelled from Sheffield to camp and have a barbecue. She refused to give details and was obstructive. She received a £1,760 fine, £85 in costs and £176 victim surcharge.

Detective Chief Inspector Emlyn Richards, who leads the force’s response to Covid-19, said: “Each of the five people listed above were given adequate opportunity to pay the fine but decided, for whatever reason, not to.

“All of the cases had their own particular aggravating circumstances – with some putting key workers at risk with their behaviour, others repeatedly breaching the restrictions and others travelling a significant distance at a time when Covid19 was spreading across the country.

“Over the last nine months officers have, at all times, tried to engage, educate and encourage people to follow the rules and help protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities. But these five heeded none of those warnings and I hope that their significant fines act as double warning.

“Firstly, if officers find particularly serious, or repeated, breaches then you will be issued with a fine.

“And secondly, if you do receive a fine then you must pay it. If you do not then you run the risk that, like these five, you will find yourself in court facing the prospect of a serious fine and a criminal conviction.”