Three women fined for parties on same day as alleged Downing St Xmas gathering
9 December 2021, 18:22 | Updated: 7 June 2023, 08:56
Three women have been fined for attending gatherings on the same day as the alleged Christmas party at Downing Street, it has been confirmed.
The fines were imposed last week after the women attended Christmas parties of two or more people on December 18, 2020.
But despite the recent prosecutions, the Metropolitan Police has said officers will not investigate the alleged Downing Street Christmas party, where staff and aides are said to have drunk together, eaten cheese and swapped secret Santa presents.
According to Westminster Magistrates' Court records, Ami Goto, 23, from Marylebone, and Ebru Sen, 26, from Sittingbourne in Kent, were each fined £1,100 plus £210 costs for a gathering of two or more people in a flat in Holborn when London was under Tier 3 restrictions on December 18.
Whilst Emilia Petruta-Cristea, 24, was also fined £1,100 and ordered to pay £210 costs over a gathering at her home in Wanstead, the Evening Standard reported.
Court records also reveal a 36-year-old man is set to be prosecuted this week for holding a gathering of two or more people in Ilford, east London, on the same day as the alleged event in Downing Street.
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Downing St Xmas party investigation not in 'public interest' for Met
Cressida Dick is facing mounting pressure over the Met's handling of the No10 Christmas party storm.
Barry Gardiner told Iain Dale on LBC last night he was aware that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) had received a complaint over the police's handling of the allegations.
But in a statement, the Met said they would not investigate the allegations despite receiving "significant correspondence" about the event.
The statement reads: "The Metropolitan Police Service has received a significant amount of correspondence relating to allegations reported in the media that the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations were breached at gatherings at No10 Downing Street in November and December 2020.
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"All this correspondence has been considered by detectives in detail, as well as footage published by ITV News. The correspondence and footage does not provide evidence of a breach of the Health Protection Regulations, but restates allegations made in the media.
"Based on the absence of evidence and in line with our policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of such regulations, the Met will not commence an investigation at this time.
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"The Met has had discussions with the Cabinet Office in relation to the investigation by the Cabinet Secretary. If any evidence is found as a result of that investigation, it will be passed to the Met for further consideration."
An inquiry has now been launched by the Prime Minister which will investigate three separate allegations of Conservative staff parties which are said to have taken place during lockdown last year.
Cabinet Secretary Simon Case will lead the inquiry.
