Nearly 300 Covid breaches reported to South Yorkshire Police in one weekend

Nearly 300 reports of suspected Covid breaches were reported to South Yorkshire Police last weekend.
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With the country in third national lockdown in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus, government advice is to stay at home.

But South Yorkshire Police said last weekend officers were alerted to 295 suspected breaches, many of which involved house parties and gatherings.

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Between Tuesday, January 5 and yesterday, the force received 1,417 of reports of suspected breaches and issued 127 Fixed Penalty Notices, of which 92 were for indoor gatherings.

Two police officers walk past posters on Sauchiehall Street during the coronavirus lockdown (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)Two police officers walk past posters on Sauchiehall Street during the coronavirus lockdown (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Two police officers walk past posters on Sauchiehall Street during the coronavirus lockdown (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Last weekend, 15 people were fined at a house party at an Airbnb on Scotland Street, Sheffield.

Superintendent Paul McCurry, said: “We know that is it not easy to be apart from friends and loved ones, but sadly house parties and similar gatherings provide the greatest risk to public health, and for this reason it is only right that this is where we focus our attention.“People are in a position now where they know what is asked of them, and the vast majority are making sacrifices in order to adhere to the rules. We need to ensure that the efforts of the majority are not sabotaged by the few people who continue to ignore the rules.“We have always been clear in our approach in that we do not want to fine people, but we will do if proportionate and necessary. Our officers would rather be out in their communities tackling drugs supply, investigating burglaries, and reducing violent crime, and the more people adhere to the restrictions, the more they can focus on other matters.”

Traffic officers have increased their presence around beauty spots in the county due to an increase in the number of people travelling there to exercise.

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Supt McCurry added: “It is not against the law to travel for exercise, but we do strongly encourage people to stay local where possible and stay two metres apart.

“Road traffic collisions obviously put additional strain on emergency services and we want to minimise these. Due to the weather, roads and beauty spots were fairly quiet this weekend, but we expect this will change. Please only travel where necessary.”