People are being warned of the consequences of attending large gatherings during lockdown after the organiser of a New Year’s Eve party attended by dozens of people was issued with a £10,000 fine.
We have published an open letter to anyone looking to attend large gatherings such as parties, protests or funerals which breach the existing regulations, warning that officers will take enforcement action to disperse large groups of people.
The fresh call comes after action was taken against the organiser of a party at a location near Leighton Buzzard. On 31 December officers called to the site had found a marquee with a number of tables and chairs, a small dance floor and four speakers.
The organiser was spoken to and given words of advice, but when officers returned later they found around 50 people in attendance.
Police were able to bring the event to a close and disperse the attendees. After reviewing the evidence, officers have now issued a £10,000 fine to main organiser for breaching Covid-19 regulations.
Chief Superintendent John Murphy, who is leading Bedfordshire Police’s response to the coronavirus, said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have been working with our partners to urge and remind members of the public to adhere to the government guidance so we can all play our part in stopping the spread of the virus, so it is astonishing to see people brazenly and blatantly ignoring these rules.
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“This party was not only a huge breach, but also showed a total lack of respect to those people who haven’t been able to attend the funeral of a loved one, or spend Christmas and New Year with their friends and family, which is why we have not taken this lightly and have taken firm action.
“We understand the past 10 months have been difficult for everyone and we are grateful to those who have been following the guidelines, but the pressure on the NHS is still immense and we all need to everything we can to keep ourselves and others safe.”
