Police in the Anglia region hand out 2,600 fines for breaching lockdown laws

Police forces in the Anglia region have imposed hundreds of fixed penalty fines on people breaching coronavirus health regulations.

Figures released by the National Police Chiefs' Council show 2,599 fines were handed out by the eight police forces in the Anglia region.

The biggest force, Thames Valley which covers Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, had the largest number of fines with 866.

Northamptonshire and Norfolk issued 347 and 320 Fixed Penalty Notices of £60.

The Crown Prosecution Service says dozens of people have been wrongly charged by police under new coronavirus laws.

Police patrolling the lockdown in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk at the beginning of May. Credit: ITV News Anglia

The figures cover the period from 27th April to 11th May before the lockdown regulations were relaxed.

Police officers are able to issue fines to members of the public for breaching the lockdown rules.

The National Police Chiefs' Council said the fines were only imposed after officers had engaged with those breaking the rules to explain the public health risk and had urged compliance.

Lockdown fines issued by police forces in the Anglia regionFrom 27th April to 11th May

  • 292 - Bedfordshire

  • 120 - Cambridgeshire

  • 165 - Essex

  • 243 - Hertfordshire

  • 320 - Norfolk

  • 347 - Northamptonshire

  • 246 - Suffolk

  • 866 - Thames Valley

Police in Bedfordshire handed down 292 Fixed Penalty Notices for breaking lockdown regulations. Credit: ITV News Anglia

The figures were published as the Crown Prosecution Service admitted some people been wrongly charged by police under the coronavirus laws.

All 44 charges brought under the Coronavirus Act, which allows officers toremove or detain a "suspected infectious person" for screening and assessment, since it was brought in on March 27 were incorrect.

And 12 charges under the Health Protection Regulations 2020, which give powers to break up gatherings and fine people breaching restriction of movement rules, were also wrong.

Police forces in the Anglia region have issued nearly 2,600 fines during the lockdown period. Credit: Data from the National Police Chiefs' Council

The fines handed out by police were before lockdown regulations were relaxed in England from Wednesday, with penalties set at £60, reduced to £30 if paid within two weeks - with the fine doubled for each repeat offence up to a £960 maximum.

Now the 'Stay at Home' rules have been eased, higher fines can now be imposed in England for any new breaches - £100, reduced to £50 if paidwithin 14 days and rising to a maximum of £3,200 for subsequent offences.

Across the whole of England there were more than 13,000 fines imposed for breaking lockdown regulations. Credit: ITV News Anglia

The National Police Chiefs' Council said there was general upward trend in breaches of lockdown regulations in early April and they peaked during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.