Chief constable issues warning to rule breakers

ryan.oneill@walesonline.co.uk

A WELSH police chief has warned of complacency setting in amid the coronavirus lockdown, detailing how Newport has become a “hotspot” for group gatherings breaking rules.

Gwent Police Chief Constable Pam Kelly said areas such as Newport’s Maindee and Pillgwenlly were continuing to see groups breaking coronavirus restrictions and that there was “complacency” setting in among some members of the public, with lockdown now in its seventh week.

Ms Kelly’s comments came ahead of the bank holiday weekend and VE Day commemorations, which would normally see residents and communities gathering to celebrate victory in Europe in the Second World War.

However, most events were cancelled or prohibited due to lockdown rules, and residents marked the occasion while socially distancing.

The chief constable said while most people were complying with regulations there was “a complacency starting to feature across the board, that we’re almost out of this peak”.

She warned that flouting restrictions this weekend could lead to lockdown being extended.

“We are seeing a creeping in, as the lockdown goes on, of people taking unnecessary journeys and meeting in groups when they shouldn’t be,” she said.

“We’ve had some very strange excuses, people going out to pick up things like a trampoline.

“In Newport, Maindee and Pill in the Gwent area, we are seeing people congregating in public places, in their gardens and in each other’s homes when they shouldn’t be, and that area is seen as a hotspot, not just in terms of the virus, but also in terms of what we are seeing on the pavement, as it were.

“The last thing we all want is for this lockdown to continue and for more people to lose their lives, and the last thing we want to do is dish out fines.

“We will be very visible in our communities, we will be out and about over the weekend dispersing gatherings and groups, and we will be enforcing if we have to.”

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which covers Newport, was initially the worst-affected area in the weeks following the virus’ emergence in Wales.

It has since been overtaken by the likes of Cardiff and Swansea, but still has one of the highest death figures and deaths per 100,000 people, according to recent figures. Statistics released this week by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) show 299 fines have been issued to people breaking lockdown restrictions from March 27 to April 27, including 63 by Gwent Police.

Almost half of the fines (40%) were given to people aged between 18 and 24, and a further 28% to those aged 25-34.

CC Kelly warned young people who might want to meet friends or go out this weekend were “not invincible” and still risked becoming ill themselves, as well as possibly infecting family members.

“There’s a lot of good young people who have been sending and sharing good messages.

“But we understand that especially for young people, it’s very hard to stay at home when you want to see your friends.

“Young people think they are invincible because they are generally very healthy and have lots of energy.

“The message we are sending is that you are not invincible and you could become ill, but that family members could also become ill as a result.”

CC Kelly said there had also been difficulty in enforcing restrictions among people below the age of 18.

“Any child under 18 breaching the legislation becomes a parental issue, and we’ve been approaching parents to work with us to help young people stay at home and prevent the spread of the disease.

“It means knocking on doors and at times fining parents if they are not supporting us.

“Those people who neglect their communities mean that we have to step in. Some people are great parents and care about young people, but they struggle to keep them indoors. They have a big part to play in making sure people stay home.”

CC Kelly added that, under lockdown, the force had seen a drop in reports of certain crimes such as domestic abuse, shoplifting, burglary and assault.

She said many victims of domestic abuse may be stuck at home with their abusers and were therefore not reporting incidents.

“My concern is that once we come out of lockdown, we may see an increase in domestic abuse”, she said.

“I would always encourage victims to come forward.

“We have also seen an increase in fraud-related crimes linked to social media and the internet.”

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