Derbyshire man who went to friend’s house in Sheffield ‘to cook’ fined £1,100 for breaching lockdown rules

BBC reported that Mark Ollier, 49 of Chesterfield Road, Staveley was caught visiting the woman, who has ADHD, in November 2020 when indoor gatherings of two or more people were banned.

Although he was fined £440 in May of last year, he claimed he was not aware of the court date and requested a new hearing.

Magistrates in Sheffield determined that ADHD was not protected by the exclusions for vulnerable individuals and fined him £1,100 as a result.

The prosecutor told the court that Ollier was found inside a property on Crowder Avenue in Firth Park on the 28th of November 2020, along with the woman.

The hearing was told Ollier had contacted the court since his last hearing and said he had been asked to prepare a meal at the woman's house by her mother.

Ollier, who denied breaching regulations, had also said the daughter's ADHD meant she couldn't "be left to cook for herself", the court heard.

Under legislation in place at the time, there were exceptions for delivering goods to a vulnerable person and for providing care or assistance to a vulnerable person.

Magistrates were not persuaded that the exceptions applied in Ollier's case but said they believed his breach was "reckless" rather than deliberate.

Ollier, who was not present, was fined £1,100, ordered to pay a surcharge of £110 and told to pay £110 towards the costs of the prosecution.