Almost 800 Covid fines issued in Hampshire over last month

799 fixed penalty notices for breaches of the Covid regulations were issued by Hampshire Constabulary between February 15 and March 14.

It means that the force has issued 2,046 fines since the start of the first lockdown last March.

The vast majority of the fines issued in the county are for breaching the national lockdown restrictions which have been in force since January, although six are for face covering violations on public transport or other indoor spaces.

Another two have been issued for breaches of the international travel ban, whilst one was given to a business.

Nationally, the figures released by the National Police Chiefs' Council today reveal that almost 100,000 FPNs have been issued since the start of the first Covid lockdown in March.

Some 25,416 of those, or more than a quarter, were issued in the latest four-week period – down from more than 26,000 the previous month.

The figures show a total of 284 £10,000 fines have been handed to organisers of mass gatherings of more than 30 people, including illegal raves, parties and protests, in England, with three in Wales.

And 1,647 £800 tickets have been issued to people attending gatherings of more than 15 people.

NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt said: “While it is encouraging to see that the number of fines processed in the last month has decreased, a small number of people continue to defy the rules, putting themselves and others at risk of the virus.

“It is particularly frustrating to see the groups of selfish and irresponsible people organising and attending illegal parties and unlicensed music events – they clearly have no regard for the rules and we move quickly to enforcement in these cases.

“Looking ahead as restrictions start to ease, we will be focusing our efforts on these types of large indoor gatherings.

“Any person who organises or attends these events clearly doesn’t need the regulations explaining to them and we will not hesitate to issue fines where necessary.”