Party-goers fined £11k after celebrating one-year-old's birthday in a small flat
6 February 2021, 18:58
A large group who met to celebrate a baby's birthday have been fined £11,000 for breaching Covid-19 rules.
Police broke up the gathering after discovering 24 people - some who travelled 60 miles from Birmingham.
The group - 14 adults and 10 children - were celebrating the one-year-old's birthday with family and friends before the party was crashed by officers.
Police were tipped off by locals who reported seeing "party banners at the family barbecue" in Mansfield on Thursday.
The adults were fined a total of £11,200 by Nottinghamshire Police.
Covid breaching customer phones to say 'he's out back' as police fine barber
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cooper said: "It's very disappointing to hear that officers had to break up another large gathering in the county.
"It is clear that there is still a minority of people who think the rules do not apply to them or that the can make up their own versions of the guidelines.
"When we attend a party we will firstly encourage people to disperse safely.
"We would appeal to all local residents to comply with the Covid-19 regulations which are there to protect everyone.
"It is the case that people are being issued fines for breaching the regulations, but more importantly the virus is spreading rapidly throughout the community and people are dying."
Covid fines issued as a group of 20 played football on locked pitch
The assistant police chief thanked officers who are "putting their own health as well as their families’ health" at risk by cracking down on events that breach Covid rules.
"We would like to continue to praise their bravery on attending these mass gatherings and working so hard in difficult and anxiety-filled circumstances," he added.
"Due to the nature of the offences yesterday, it was deemed appropriate to issue all the adults inside the address fixed penalty notices and then send them home."
