Two women issued with £10,000 Coronavirus fines for hosting house party

Two women will receive £10,000 fines under Coronavirus regulations after hosting a house party in Gloucester at the weekend.

Officers patrolling Gloucester during the early hours of Sunday morning came across a party which was being held on Barton Street after hearing loud music and shouting that was coming from inside a property.

This was found to be a party of what was believed to be over 30 people and the women identified themselves as the organisers when asked by officers.

Those in attendance were dispersed and the women were subsequently reported for contravening the requirement not to hold, or be involved in the holding of, a relevant gathering of more than 30 persons. They will now each receive a fixed penalty notice from ACRO Criminal Records Office, a national police unit.

New regulations which came into effect on Thursday (5 November) mean that no person may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse and for indoors settings this means that no person may participate in a gathering which consists of two or more people and takes place indoors, including in a private dwelling.

Gloucestershire Constabulary will continue to follow the 4Es approach of engaging, explaining and encouraging people to follow the Coronavirus guidelines whilst using enforcement where necessary if people are knowingly flouting the law and putting lives at risk. 

Where a breach of the regulations is clear and the person breaching them is aware that they are not complying then officers will intervene and use police powers if needed.

More information on the current government restrictions can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november