Woman fined £12,000 for event on day after No 10 ‘s
A WOMAN who was fined £12,000 for hosting a birthday party on the day of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral has accused the Government of “double standards” following revelations that Downing Street held two parties just hours before.
While officers hauled Vianna Mckenzie-bramble before a court for inviting 40 people to her 27th birthday in Hackney, East London, on April 17 last year, police have said any criminal investigation into the Downing St parties would depend on the findings from Sue Gray.
On the same day, the Queen sat alone at St George’s Chapel for her husband’s funeral service, in line with social-distancing rules. Government guidance at the time restricted funerals to 30 mourners and required people from separate households to sit two metres apart.
Socialising indoors with other households
‘Vianna organising such a large and illegal event is totally unacceptable and disrespectful’
was banned, while outdoors a group of six people or two households could meet.
In a statement for the prosecution Pc Lindsey England said: “I explained to Vianna that there needed to be consequences for her actions, namely organising such a large gathering during a time where there is still such a significant risk to public health. On this day in particular it was the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh … Vianna being so blasé about organising such a large and illegal event for her 27th birthday party is totally unacceptable and disrespectful in light of everything that is going on in the world.”
Officers arrived at Ms Mckenziebramble’s party after members of the public complained about a big Covid rule-breaking party, according to the witness statement.
Police found a marquee and a bouncy castle had been set up in a friend’s garden where groups of people, “none of whom were wearing masks or social distancing”, were “gathering in groups much larger than six”.
Ms Mckenzie-bramble said: “It’s obviously double standards. I don’t work in Government, so I can’t bend the rules like them.
“Of course that’s not right. They had a party, and I had a party and got fined £12,000, and they haven’t.”
Ms Mckenzie-bramble was ordered to pay a £12,000 fine, a £190 victims’ fund surcharge and £110 in court costs, at a closed hearing at Westminster magistrates’ court in September.