Police fine nearly 200 people for breaking Covid rules on Merseyside

Police say nearly 200 fines were given to people flouting Coronavirus regulations across Merseyside over the weekend.

In total 193 fines were recorded – 27 on Friday (15^th January), 77 on Saturday and 89 on Sunday.

On Friday night a 38 year-old man was fined after officers were called at 11.45pm to reports of a house party in a property on North Sudley Road in Mossley Hill and found 15-20 people and disco equipment present.

At 9.30am on Saturday (16^th) officers attended at a property on Smithdown Road and found a number of people and evidence of a gathering overnight. The occupier of the house, a 22 year-old man was issued with a fine.

Three men, aged 23, 23 and 22 who were issued with fines for participating in a gathering after being found inside a small fishing tent at Sutton Mill Dam in St Helens on Saturday, 16^th January.

On the afternoon of Friday 15^th January we were also called after reports a security guard at the Aldi store on Leathers Lane in Halewood had been abused after asking a shopper why he wasn’t wearing a mask.

A 28 year-old Huyton man was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated s4 public order offence, criminal damage and common assault. He has been released under investigation pending further enquiries.

Inspector Chris Barnes said:

“Our work to educate people about the current Coronavirus regulations continues on a daily basis but where people choose to blatantly ignore the rules and choose to mix with other households or leave home for a non-essential reason then we will take action.

“It’s important that everyone does their bit to stop the spread of Coronavirus and protect our loved ones and the NHS.

“Whilst most people are abiding by the rules we know that some people think the rules do not apply to them and they can ignore them. Our continued enforcement shows that is not the case.”