Police dish out dozens of fines for breaching lockdown rules

Offenders attempt to cross the Channel and ignore social distancing

Police have issued dozens of fines for lockdown breaches in Kent, with more than 60 last week alone.

Rule-breakers include those attempting to cross the Channel, failing to socially distance and making unnecessary trips into the county.

Officers issued £12,600 of fines after catching 63 people breaking Covid-19 regulations between Monday and Friday this week, as well as 30 penalties on the first weekend alone.

Those penalised so far include include:

The driver of a car stopped by police in Brookfield Road, Ashford, who said she and her partner had driven from Essex to pick up a remote-controlled car bought online. They were fined £200.

Three men from Wolverhampton and a man from Cornwall were fined £200 each during two separate incidents after attempting to travel abroad at the Port of Dover without a valid reason and, despite being turned away, tried to cross via the Channel Tunnel.

Five men from Leicester, travelling together in a vehicle, were each fined £200 for attempting to travel abroad without a permitted reason at the Port of Dover and despite being turned away, tried to travel via the Channel Tunnel instead.

A man was fined £200 for

gathering outside in Dover Road, Folkestone, with a group of people not in his household.

A man was fined £200 for gathering outside in Harbour Way, Folkestone with a small group of people not from his household.

Three people were fined

after being stopped in Lower High Street, Ashford. They had already been warned about congregating in a large group and said they had understood the warning. Within hours they were found again and fined £200 each.

Officers fined two men £200 each for being inside a car in Sotherton, Ashford, with other people they did not live with.

A man was fined £200 on Wednesday for failing to wear a face covering in a supermarket in Charlton Green, Dover. He was asked by the store manager to wear a mask before entering but refused, at which point police were called.

Asst Ch Con Claire Nix said: “The vast majority of Kent residents continue to do the right thing and are following the rules. Unfortunately, there are still some people who think it is acceptable to throw parties, gather outside in large numbers or commit other serious breaches of Covid-19 regulations. Holidays within the UK and abroad are also prohibited unless for permitted reasons and, despite this advice, people attempted to cross the Channel without valid reasons and were fined as a result.

“The government has been very clear that the best way to protect everyone is to stay at home and no one should be attempting holidays.”

Kent Police say they issued 30 fines during the first weekend of lockdown alone