Nearly 60 Covid fines given out by Wiltshire Police officers in the last week
The fixed penalty notices include a number in the south of the county
Last updated 2nd Feb 2021
Wiltshire Police tell us they issued a total of 58 Covid fines between the 25th and 31st of January.
That brings the total since the pandemic began to 433.
There were also 87 formal warnings given to people in the last week for breaching the Covid-19 lockdown rules.
23 people who had attended a house party in Swindon were each issued with fines worth £800.
The homeowner told police that it was his birthday and that his friends had travelled from as far afield as Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire to attend his party.
Five men were fined in Salisbury after officers stopped a vehicle on Friday (29th January) with five people all from different households inside.
There were also fines for four men in Amesbury after they were found getting haircuts from a barber at a residential property.
Extra police were on patrol throughout the weekend across the county to help deal with an increased number of reports of Covid breaches.
Wiltshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills said:
"This week has seen our officers and staff issue the highest number of FPN's in a single week since the start of the pandemic. Whilst we are grateful to the vast majority of the public for their continuing sacrifices to comply with the regulations and guidance to help keep our communities safe, we still continue to see a small minority who do not believe that the guidance applies to them.
"This week we have responded to a large house party in a dwelling and other incidents of people gathering in groups. In these circumstances, the public rightly expect that we will move to enforcement at an early stage, as these types of incidences pose a heath threat to not only those who attend or gather but also the wider community.
"We will not be complacent and ensure we carry on being vigilant so we can deal with any emerging issues swiftly."
FINES WITHDRAWN BY WILTSHIRE POLICE
The county force has also confirmed that they've rescinded a total of 25 fixed penalty notices since the start of the pandemic.
Wiltshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson said:
"Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic we have recognised the importance of being transparent and ensuring we keep the public informed about our policing and the enforcement of the Government's restrictions.
"Our scrutiny panel has a vital role to play in assessing every single FPN issued to ensure that we are using these new powers in a fair and legal way.
"I am pleased to see that this system is working well and that the vast majority of fines issued have been upheld, showing that our police officers have a good understanding of the regulations and the processes in place to enforce the rules."