South Wales Echo

JUST TEN FINES FOR BAY CHAOS

PENALTY NOTICES AFTER HUGE GATHERING OUTSIDE SENEDD:

- LYDIA STEPHENS Reporter lydia.stephens@walesonlin­e.co.uk

AROUND 120 people were fined over the Bank Holiday weekend as police were called to house parties with more than 30 people in attendance and dealt with chaos at Cardiff Bay.

A spokespers­on for South Wales Police said police attended a number of anti-social behaviour issues and breaches of coronaviru­s legislatio­n over the sunny weekend which saw hundreds of people descend on Cardiff Bay.

Despite the huge number of people attending the gathering on the steps of the Senedd, only 10 people were handed fixed penalty notices in the area.

Among other coronaviru­s breaches was a house party in Mountain Ash, after police received a report of 30 people in attendance.

However the hosts of the party refused to let officers inside and entry was forced. A number of people showed hostility towards the officers and there were blatant breaches of regulation­s.

According to SWP, one man was arrested for obstructin­g an officer and fixed penalty notices were issued.

Those fined include:

■ 10 people in Butetown, Cardiff;

■ Eight people, all from separate households, gathering in a garden in Sandfields, Neath Port Talbot;

■ 10 people in Cardiff Bay;

■ Seven people for attending a birthday party in Pontardawe, Neath Port Talbot;

■ 20 people at a large-scale gathering in Cathays, Cardiff.

As well as this, officers received reports of 100 people gathering in Swansea Bay and a large rise in anti-social behaviour in the area.

A Section 35 dispersal order placed on Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, remains in place, which gives officers and PCSOs the power to exclude a person from the area.

Fencing was put up around the steps of the Senedd after days of people drinking and partying at the Bay.

The worst incident occurred on Good Friday, with people claiming up to 1,000 people were in attendance at a gathering which lasted through the night.

Officers were seen lining up in front of the Senedd building, with a further group at the Pierhead Building, as well as dealing with individual­s who attended the gathering.

The next day the area was left covered in rubbish.

 ??  ?? Police officers stop another gathering at the Senedd on Saturday
Police officers stop another gathering at the Senedd on Saturday
 ??  ?? Rubbish left outside the Senedd on Good Friday
Rubbish left outside the Senedd on Good Friday

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