Northampton party organisers handed £10,000 fines for breaching Covid rules

13 December 2020, 17:43

The organisers of two house parties attended by dozens of young people in Northampton have been handed £10,000 fines by police for breaching Covid regulations.

Police officers deployed after reports of a house party in Forfar Street, St James, at around midnight.

Large numbers of young people were seen arriving at the address and officers found more than 60 people attending a party.

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The partygoers, some of whom were hostile towards the police, were dispersed within about 30 minutes.

An 18-year-old Northampton woman was arrested for a public order offence, breaching Covid-19 regulations and resisting a police officer.

Met Police Assistant Commissioner on Covid enforcement

The 19-year-old organiser of the illegal party was handed a £10,000 fine.

Officers were then called to a home in Briar Hill at about 12.25am following a number of calls from locals.

Between 100 and 150 people were inside the property where a DJ was also performing.

Police were forced to disperse the partygoers and issued two 20-year-old men, the organiser and the DJ, with £10,000 fines for breaching Covid-19 regulations.

Supt Natalee Wignall, of Northamptonshire Police, said the fines had been handed out for a clear breach of the Covid-19 regulations: “This sends out a very strong message to anyone thinking of holding such events.

"We responded quickly to complaints made to us by members of the public and a large number of officers had to be deployed as a result.

“All in all we had between 150 and 200 people attending these two parties which is completely unacceptable.

"People should be under no illusion that, as we approach the Christmas and New Year period, Northamptonshire Police will deal robustly with breaches such as these.”