More than 3,000 fines issued for alleged breaches of coronavirus lockdown laws

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Jacob Jarvis15 April 2020
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More than 3,000 fines for alleged coronavirus lockdown breaches have been issued by police forces across in England in just more than two weeks.

A total of 3,203 such fines were issued between March 27 and April 13, the National Police Chiefs’ Council said.

It comes with the UK well into its fourth week of lockdown, with the Government indicating it is not going to end imminently.

The measures have seen people only allowed to leave their homes for a select number of essential reasons such as food shopping, to meet medical needs or for once daily exercise.

Police have been given powers to break up gatherings or to tell those they believe to breaching the lockdown to return to their homes.

Officers are able to issue fixed penalty notices of £60, which can be doubled to for repeat offenders. Arrests can also be made when deemed "proportionate and necessary".

Among the more than 3,000 fined were members of the public as old as 100.

A third of the fines went to those aged 18-24 with a further third going to people aged 25-34.

It was also detailed that 83 people were brought straight to court for allegedly breaking the rules.

However, 39 fines were issued to under 18s which had to be withdrawn as the law does not allow people under that age to be issued the notices.

Amid the lockdown, forces have been warned not be "overzealous" with their powers, with some accused of taking to stringent a line on enforcement.

However, a poll earlier this month suggested most Brits supported the police tactics to enforce the lockdown - though some feared they "go too far".

It has also been reported that crime has dropped in England and Wales amid the lockdown, though anti-social behaviour has risen.

Reports of anti-social behaviour have risen by 59 per cent.

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Chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Martin Hewitt said there was an overall drop in crime across England and Wales in the four weeks to April 12 of 28 per cent, compared to the same period last year.

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