Distancing in England – ‘but they have in Wales’

Officers were also urged to be aware of differences in legislation in Wales and Scotland, particularly when patrolling towns and villages on the borders and encountering people travelling to outdoor spaces there.

The document said: “Travelling to outdoor spaces in Wales and Scotland for recreation (not exercise) may result in offences being committed in those jurisdictions, and so may not be a reasonable excuse for leaving home.”

Attention was also drawn to the higher fines now imposed in England – £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days and rising to a maximum of £3,200 for subsequent offences.

Human rights campaign group Liberty hit out at the decision to increase fixed-penalty notices and claimed confusion caused by unclear messages from the government are a “recipe for injustice”.

The group’s advocacy director, Clare Collier, said: “This pandemic is a public health crisis – not a criminal justice issue”, describing the latest regulations as a “doubling down on a heavy-handed approach that will undermine public trust and cause lasting harm to people’s lives”.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said officers could find working through the new rules “challenging”.

She said: “There is a lot for the officers to work through and think about, and of course not being socially distanced itself is not against the law.

“So it is a challenging role. As the easing comes, of course the restrictions and the lack of restrictions if you like are now slightly more complicated.”