From house parties to sledging: Police hand out hundreds of fines across Wales for lockdown breaches
Police forces across Wales handed out hundreds of fines to people breaking lockdown rules at the weekend which included house parties and travellers to see the snow.
Police in North Wales dished out fines to people who had travelled from England for sledging and to "capture drone footage".Officers from North Wales Police's Conwy and Denbigh Rural unit said "numerous" penalties had to be handed out over the weekend due to people breaking coronavirus lockdown rules.
They said this included people who had travelled from England to the region for sledging, and a group who had travelled from London to capture drone footage.In a post on Facebook, they said: "Numerous fixed penalties given out for Covid breaches over the weekend."Some sledders from England."Quite a few coming to see the snow, including three from London whowanted some drone footage!"And some local people having a party. Come on people."
On Saturday, the force warned that "ignorance is not a defence" after motorists broke lockdown rules to travel over 200 miles from London to Snowdon.On Friday, Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford issued a warning to people who try to exploit small changes to coronavirus lockdown rules.People will now be allowed to meet up with one other member from one other local household for exercise, which should start and end at a person's home.You can also meet a different person from different households on separate occasions.However, he warned people looking to exploit the changes, it will only delay the end of coronavirus restrictions.
It comes as South Wales Police said it issued 240 fines in the area as officers clamped down on those breaching the rules.
They were called to multiple house parties, including one in Cathays in Cardiff where some had travelled from Swansea. Twenty people in total were fined along with twenty others for attending a house party in Maerdy, Rhondda.
Thirteen were also fined for a house party in Llandaff North, three for people who had travelled from Oxfordshire to Pencoed for a religious ceremony and eight for a group from different households in Cardiff who were stopped on their way home from Penyfan.
A number of fines were also issued in Rhiwbina, Pontcanna and Porthcawl for non-essential travel breaches.
Chief Superintendent Andy Valentine said "now is not the time for complacency".“While we fully appreciate how challenging these restrictions have been, the very fact that they have been extended demonstrates that now is not the time for complacency.
"Blatant breaches such as the ones witnessed by our officers over the weekend compromise the progress that has been achieved by the vast majority who are following the rules, and places additional strain on our already-stretched health services.
“Such flagrant breaches cannot be tolerated and we will continue to respond to concerns from our communities, carry out proactive patrols and work closely with our local authority partners on the Joint Enforcement Teams to ensure those who blatantly or repeatedly breach the rules are met with enforcement action.”