Doctor broke lockdown with party at Chelsea Harbour home

UK In Sixth Week Of Coronavirus Lockdown
Lorenzo Mannelli threw a party to celebrate lockdown easing at his home in Chelsea Harbour
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A radiologist who broke the Covid-19 lockdown rules with a party at his luxury Chelsea Harbour apartment has been ordered to pay more than £2,000.

Lorenzo Mannelli, 47, was caught out by police who found more than 30 people enjoying themselves at his £1.25 million home when large gatherings were banned.

Mannelli told officers the gathering was “to celebrate the easing of the restrictions” and even asked officers to wait to break up the party so that a musician could complete their performance, a court heard.

The incident happened on April 11, the day before Covid-19 restrictions were relaxed to allow pub gardens and non-essential businesses, including hairdressers, to reopen.

However strict limits on the number of people who could meet indoors were still in place.

At Westminster magistrates court, Mannelli was convicted of a breach of the Covid-19 regulations, in a hearing conducted behind closed doors in the Single Justice Procedure.

He was ordered to pay a £1760 fine, as well as £276 in court costs and fees.

The doctor, a director of his own radiology firm LMVP Telemedicine, did not enter a plea and was convicted in his absence.

Court papers reveal Mannelli answered the door at around 8pm when police had been called out to reports of a party which had been going on “for a few hours”.

“(He) asked officers if they could wait for the person to finish reciting their music before they stop the gathering”, the Met Police statement says.

“Officers waited just inside the property by the front door, once complete the officers explained to (Mannelli) to stop the party and send people home.”

The Met said Mannelli “explained that he understood officers were just doing their job as he was a doctor, officers asked what position he held and he confirmed that he was a radiologist.”

PC Michael Walsh attended Mannelli’s home, which overlooks the River Thames in the exclusive Chelsea Harbour, and said the doctor admitted organising the social gathering “to celebrate the end of lockdown”.

“At the time of this incident lockdown restrictions were still in place which clearly stated gatherings of six or more people were forbidden”, he added.

Mannelli broke up the party and sent his guests away. PC Walsh said Mannelli said there were “20 to 25 people” at his home, but he counted 33 guests.

The radiologist was prosecuted after he did not pay a Covid-19 fixed penalty notice that was sent to his home.

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