1,479 receive fines for ‘breach’ of restrictions

ALMOST 1,500 people have been handed fines for allegedly breaching coronavirus lockdown regulations in Wales, statistics released yesterday revealed.

In total, 1,479 fixed-penalty notices have been served to people in Wales.

The data relates to fines handed out between March 27 – when public health regulations were introduced, enabling police officers to issue them – and May 11.

Dyfed-Powys Police issued by far the highest number of penalties – almost seven times that of any other force.

South Wales Police issued the second-highest number, followed by North Wales Police, Gwent Police and British Transport Police.

Below is a breakdown of the fines issued by each police force in Wales:

■ Dyfed-Powys Police – 1,097

■ South Wales Police – 157

■ North Wales Police – 143

■ Gwent Police – 71

■ British Transport Police – 11 The fines handed out were all set at £60, an amount that reduced to £30 if paid within two weeks of the offence. The fine was then doubled for each repeat offence, up to a maximum of £960.

In England, meanwhile, 13,445 penalty notices were recorded between March 27 and May 11, with the Metropolitan Police issuing the most with 906. Those were all set at the same penalty-scale as those in Wales.

However, people in England can now be fined £100 – reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days – for breaching social-distancing rules after the lockdown was eased this week, a move which allows unlimited exercise and time spent outdoors as long as it is with no more than one person from a different household.

Conversely, the situation in Wales remains largely the same, with only “modest adjustments” announced by First Minister Mark Drakeford last week, including updated advice on daily exercising and where that exercise should take place.

The statistics on fixed-penalty notices issued in Wales and England were released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), which has thanked the public in the main for abiding by the rules.