Police force hands out nearly 1,000 Covid fines in one month as barber stays open and 21st birthday is busted
Police caught a barber breaking lockdown rules by taking appointments to cut people's hair.
Body cam footage released by Kent Police shows officers entering a barber shop in Northfleet, Gravesham on Wednesday.
The business owner denied taking appointments during the coronavirus lockdown. When asked if customers were visiting his home for haircuts, he mumbled, "I don't know".
He then tells officers that "customers are asking".
While officers were giving advice, the barber appeared to receive a call from a customer who says he is out the back. The barber tells the man at the other end of the line that "policemen is here (sic)" and "I'm not cutting hair, not anymore".
The barber has been fined for continuing to operate a non-essential business during lockdown, Kent Police said.
The force also fined four men for a football match with more than 20 people over the weekend. Some of the men lived outside the county.
The men accessed the pitch via a hole in a fence in Green Road on Sunday afternoon. Many in the group left the area after police arrived, but the few who returned to collect their belongings were met by officers and fined.
Officers also discovered two house parties.
A woman and four men were fined after police visited a home in Cox Drive, Hawkinge at 8.13pm on Saturday.
And police broke up a house party for a student's 21st birthday that involved around 30 people on Sunday evening. Five women were fined at a home in Zealand Road, Canterbury.
A total of 1,343 fines have been handed out in the county since the start of the pandemic - 993 were handed out in 2021.
Assistant Chief Constable, Claire Nix said: "Whilst it is encouraging that the rate of infection is falling and more people are being vaccinated - now is not the time to drop our guard and be complacent, we are not yet at the stage where lockdown can be relaxed.
"I would like to thank those residents who are doing the right thing and following the guidelines, it is a difficult time for everyone and I appreciate it is frustrating when you witnesses or learn of people breaching the guidelines - this selfish behaviour puts others in harms way.
"We will not hesitate in taking action against those who blatantly ignore lockdown measures and put some of the most vulnerable members of our community at risk."