Almost 100 house parties in a week despite lockdown rules

by Rebecca Black, PA

Almost 100 house parties were broken up by police in Northern Ireland over the last week despite strict rules against indoor gatherings.

The PSNI also issued 339 £200 fines for breaches of the coronavirus regulations.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said it is “really disappointing to see that there are still people not taking the risk of this virus seriously”.

“Enforcement action was taken by officers right across Northern Ireland over the past week issuing 339 Cov4 fines of £200, 96 Cov2 prohibition notices were issued in respect of house parties, and seven Cov5 penalty notices were also issued in respect of businesses continuing to operate in breach of the regulations,” he said.

“It is vitally important that people take the time to understand what is and is not permitted under the new regulations, what is advised by way of guidance, and to take personal responsibility for stopping the spread of this virus.

“We will continue with our partnership approach, working closely with our colleagues at the Department of Health, Public Health Agency and the Northern Ireland Executive.

“Where people do not follow the Health Protection Regulations, our approach will remain the same – we will engage with people first explaining the guidance and the law and encourage people to do the right thing.

“However, where we are left with no choice but to enforce, we will take this measure in order to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities and help protect our NHS.”