£10,000 fine issued to the organiser of a party in High Wycombe
The organiser of a party in High Wycombe has been issued with a £10,000 fine.
On Saturday12th December 2020 officers from Thames Valley Police attended a property in the Marlow Hill area of Wycombe where they found around 200 people in attendance, The party appeared to be a ticketed event with music being played in a number of rooms. It is thought most in attendance were not from the local Wycombe area.
Due to the sheer numbers of people present, the police officers decided that dispersal was deemed the safest option for dealing with those attending.
Following further investigation the organiser of the party was identified and issued with a £10,000 fine for organising a gathering of more than 30 people in a private dwelling in beach of the legislation around Coronavirus.
Thames Valley Police also worked with Buckinghamshire Council to obtain a closure order on the property from the courts, preventing anyone entering the property or using the property for three months.
Supt Emma Baillie, Silver commander for the forces response to Coronavirus, said: ‘This was a blatant and flagrant breach of the legislation around Coronavirus.
With cases rising in the country and also here in the Thames Valley it is very disappointing that some still see fit to not abide by the legislation that is in place to save lives and protect the NHS.
Our approach throughout has been to engage, explain and encourage people to follow the restrictions which we know are affecting everyone’s lives.
However where our officers encounter wilful and flagrant disregard for others safety by deliberately not following the regulations, we will look to enforce through, dispersal, fines or even arrest.
We will continue to work with the Environmental Health Teams and Covid marshals from Buckinghamshire Council as well as with our local authority partners across the Thames Valley to keep our communities safe and protect the NHS through the ongoing pandemic.‘
*Source of article : Thames Valley Police ‘latest news’.