NO EXCUSE
POLICE BREAK UP HALLS OF RESIDENCE PARTY ATTENDED BY 200 STUDENTS
POLICE are hunting for the organiser of a party at a student halls of residence where 200 people were seen dancing outside in the rain.
The area commander for the city has also warned students they will be hauled before the courts if they are repeatedly caught at parties rather than face another fine.
Empty bottles of beer, Jägermeister, rum, nitrous oxide canisters, and even a firework were left strewn outside St Peter’s Court halls of residence in the aftermath of Saturday’s mass gathering.
Superintendent Mat Healey, city area commander for Nottinghamshire Police, called the behaviour “clearly unacceptable”.
He said officers were working to find the organiser of the event, who faces a £10,000 fine for the Covid-19 breach.
Officers were called to the halls in Midland Way, Radford, which accommodates 805 University of Nottingham students, on Saturday.
Police arrived to find 200 people in the courtyard and broke up the gathering at around midnight. They are now carrying out a full investigation to find the organiser.
One 18-year-old University of Nottingham student, who did not want to be named, said: “At midnight, we heard loud music. It was random and not planned. There were lots of people standing in the rain and there were big speakers outside. The police came and everyone scattered.”
Another first-year student added: “When police arrived I have never seen people run so quickly. It was like watching athletics.”
Superintendent Healey said: “It is clearly unacceptable. Officers found a party with a significant number of young people outside the premises and going into the halls of residence. We are continuing to investigate what happened on the night. The organiser of the party will face a £10,000 fine if the
evidence supports it.
“Anything that threatens businesses and livelihoods is something we clearly don’t want to see. We know these conditions are restrictive and difficult but they are there to keep people safe and to get back to a tier where businesses that are not operating can operate.”
Superintendent Healey said 500 fines had been handed out in the city so far, and that only a minority of students out of 40,000 were breaking the rules. However, he said some students who had previously been handed £200 fines were found again at other parties.
He said: “Where people are repeatedly appearing at parties then a £200 fine will not be enough and we will put them before the courts to determine the appropriate sanction. We would report them to summons and it would be down to a magistrate to determine the outcome.
“My plea to students who are going home for Christmas is to avoid the temptation to have a pre-christmas party in Nottingham so they can keep their families and loved ones safe.”
The party at St Peter’s Court was one of a number of illegal gatherings attended by police at the weekend.
Officers issued £200 fixed penalty notices to 21 people found in a flat in Pilcher Gate at 10.30pm on Saturday. Another large party was broken up shortly after midnight at an address in Corporation Oaks, St Ann’s, and the organiser was issued with a summons to appear in court at a later date.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Gowan added: “While it is heartening that the vast majority of people clearly understand and are obeying the current restrictions, it is deeply disappointing that so many others needed such an expensive reminder that the rules apply equally to everyone.
“We understand that this is a difficult time but there really are no excuses for this kind of behaviour where people are blatantly ignoring the restrictions in such large numbers.”
Police are boosting patrols to the same level as freshers week to stop students from holding Christmas parties in the run up to December 9 – the last day before they return home.
A University of Nottingham spokesman said: “The overwhelming majority of students are following the rules and there are now just 16 cases of Covid-19 reported in a student population of 35,000.
“However, there is no excuse – we have been abundantly clear that where a minority breach Covid restrictions we will act, in concert with Nottinghamshire Police where necessary.
“In addition to the fixed penalties issued by police, the university will take disciplinary action.”