11 of the WORST excuses for breaking lockdown

Here are the incredible reasons people gave when they were caught

Author: Sophie Parsons & Chris MaskeryPublished 5th Feb 2021
Last updated 24th May 2022

Wanting to see the cliffs in wet weather, buying headphones and because we were bored - just some of the incredible excuses people have given for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules.

The lockdown across the UK places restrictions on us all and most of us are abiding by the rules to try and help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Some people have been caught breaking those lockdown rules though and have given some surprising reasons for it when caught by Police.

11 of the strangest excuses for breaking lockdown:

"We've been bored"

A large group of University students in Lancashire threw an illegal house party because they were "bored" and wanted "to have fun." When police told the host they would receive a fixed penalty notice, they responded: "How do you expect a 20-year-old girl to pay a £10,000 fine?" Police replied: "The rules are in place to stop people getting infected, to stop the disease being spread around everyone and people stop dying, that's the point. But it's ok, you have your party, that's why there's a fine."

"It's my Birthday"

A party host in Swindon who told police that it was his Birthday was fined after throwing a bash for 23 people. Guests also received fines, some having travelled up to 143 miles to attend.

"To see the cliffs in wet weather"

Three people received fines after travelling 160 miles from Somerset to Land's End to "see the cliffs in wet weather."

Illegal haircuts

A group of men in Amesbury will receive fixed penalty notices after three of them were discovered having their hair cut by a fourth man at a residential property.
Meanwhile, a Newcastle footballer was fined after sharing a photo of himself getting a haircut in a hairdresser's on social media.

A very expensive trip to the chippy...

Norfolk Police fined one man who travelled 64 miles from Suffolk to Great Yarmouth on the Norfolk coast for a fish supper!

A McDonald's drive-thru from a town without a McDonald's

A man was fined £200 after claiming he had driven 100 miles from Luton to Devizes in Wiltshire for a McDonald's drive thru, despite the fact the town doesn't even have a McDonald's!

"Buying cannabis"

"Buying cannabis" was the excuse cited by one man who made a 45-minute train journey from Surbiton (Greater London) to Guildford (Surrey), for which he received a £200 fine.

Didn't know there was a pandemic

A group of party-organisers in Basingstoke shocked Hampshire police when they claimed that they didn't realise there was a global pandemic because they "never watch the news."

80 miles for a pair of headphones

Two men travelled from London to Hove, they said it was to buy a pair of headphones! Probably easier to order them online next time...

"I get regular Covid checks through work"

One party-goer in Plymouth told officers that they thought it was fine to attend a gathering because they receive "regular Covid checks through work" which had "all been negative to date."

150 miles to see a Sea Fort

Three men were given fines after driving from Staffordshire to Southend to try and get to the Red Sands Sea Fort in Whitstable. They also had to be rescued.

Filming a vlog

Youtubers filming for a vlog were issued with £200 fines for travelling from Leeds to Lincolnshire.

Bird watching

Five bird watchers were fined after they travelled to Exmouth after sightings of a rare mockingbird were reported on social media.

Hear the latest news on Downtown on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.