Jersey takeaway owner fined £2,000 for repeatedly not wearing a mask while serving customers

The co-owner of a Jersey takeaway has been fined £2,000 in court for breaking Covid-19 rules on the wearing of face masks in the workplace.

38-year-old Decia Gomes De Jesus of Jersey had pleaded guilty to not wearing a mask on multiple occasions while serving customers in the Ginger noodle bar in St Helier.

Miss De Jesus also admitted failing to comply with an 'improvement notice' issued to her by the Covid-19 enforcement team. 

On Tuesday 10 August Jersey Magistrates Court heard that from January 25 2021 until mid March, Miss de Jesus was found on multiple occasions by police and government officials for not wearing a mask or visor.

In mitigation today, the court heard Miss De Jesus has a medical exemption card and she incorrectly thought this also meant she was not required to wear a face covering at work.

The Covid-19 workplace rules state there are no exemptions for members of staff wearing a mask or visor when interacting with customers. 

Her defence counsel Advocate Olaf Blakeley said she was “genuinely confused” about the rules, but has now apologised.

In sentencing, Relief Magistrate David Le Cornu said he he accepted Miss De Jesus had experienced some confusion over the rules but that he believed there had been some "defiance" on her part too. 

Miss De Jesus was fined £1,000 for each of her two charges.