POLICE SHUT DOWN HOT TUB PARTY UNDER COVID RULES
POLICE FIND 15 REVELLERS SPLASHING AROUND
POLICE had to shut down a hot tub party in Retford as scores of people broke Covid-19 rules on the last weekend before the local lockdown was set to come into effect.
Officers were not aware they were walking into a hot tub party when members of the public called to complain about the numbers of people entering an address.
They found 15 partygoers splashing around and quickly closed it down on Saturday. No-one was fined.
But it was one of a number of house parties held across the county over the last weekend before new rules come into effect on Wednesday.
It is believed that, from then, residents will not be able to mix with other households, unless they are in a support bubble.
Nottinghamshire Police said some of the excuses for the blatant breach of the rules were that partygoers “had just had negative coronavirus tests”.
Police have always stressed that fines were a last resort.
However, the force was the first in the country to impose a £10,000 fine – on a University of Nottingham student who had a large house party in Harlaxton Drive on Friday, September 11.
Students were also visited this weekend for holding parties with up to 20 people present.
Seven students were fined £200 after over a party in Harrington Drive in Lenton was made up of around 15 partygoers on Friday night.
Police said the revellers were “extremely apologetic”.
Three male students were also fined in Ilkeston Road on Saturday night, with a number of party-goers present.
A party in Radford was also attended by more than 20 people on Saturday, but they dispersed quickly and no fines were handed out.
In total, 10 students were fined £200 for breaching the rules this weekend.
Around 20 people, who were not students, also turned up for a birthday party in West Bridgford on Saturday. No fines were issued and the party disbanded.
Detective Superintendent Mike Allen, in charge of force operations for Nottinghamshire Police, said: “People ask me ‘what excuse do they give for these parties?’
“No excuse is ever forthcoming because everyone there knows they are in the wrong.
“For me, my plea to the few who continue to breach the rule of six is to reflect on your behaviour and have a higher degree of social responsibility.
“It is right that we attend and pay attention to these breaches given the risk to public health, but holding these parties and creating this additional demand on the police drags us away from our important work in protecting the law-abiding community by locking up bad people like drug dealers and burglars and protecting the vulnerable from serious risk of harm.”
Det Supt Allen said the force was not afraid to hand out another £10,000 fine.
He added: “This weekend we fined individuals but if someone is foolish and reckless and has a disregard for the regulations and hold a large party that will risk the health of themselves and the wider community in the weeks to come we will not hesitate to issue a fine of £10,000.”
He stressed that only a minority of students were involved.
Police attended a number of parties attended by just the people living at that address.
He added: “Students do need to take heed because from a public health position it is important to protect the NHS. “The university will also take a strong line with anyone breaching them.”
No excuse is ever forthcoming because everyone there knows they are in the wrong
Det Supt Mike Allen