Covid: breaches in Dorset during the three lockdowns

Under the current advice, people have been told to 'stay at home' and only leave home for essential reasons which include to work if they cannot do so from home, for exercise, buy essential items or to seek medical assistance, 

On Wednesday, it was revealed that 76 per cent of fines issued in Dorset were given to people from outside the area. 

Here we look back at some of the Covid breaches reported in Dorset over the past 11 months. 

• Read more: Dorset Police hand out more than 1,000 Covid fines over course of pandemic

Parties

A man was fined £10,000 for repeatedly breaching the Covid-19 regulations after organising “multiple large gatherings” with other students. The 21-year-old man, who at the time of the repeated breaches was a student of Bournemouth University, resided within private student accommodation. It was the first time Dorset Police had issued a £10,000 fixed penalty notice.

Up to 200 people reportedly attended an illegal rave at the Brantano warehouse at the Wessex Gate Industrial Park in Poole on November 1.

In January, 19 people were fined for attending a house party in Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth. It happened just before the latest rules came in to affect where house parties of 15 people or more can be fined £800. Speaking to the Echo last month, chief constable of Dorset Police, James Vaughan, said: “It was a flat, with decorations on the floor and one person wearing a party hat, all 19 people were reported and given a £200 fine.”

• Read more: 19 people handed Covid breach fines for gathering where one person was wearing a party hat

Road trips 

Picture: Lulworth Estate

A group of people travelled all the way from Coventry to Durdle Door on January 9, just days after the third national lockdown began. Dorset Police said travelling more than 170 miles for "exercise" was "completely unacceptable". A spokeswoman for the force confirmed two people were issued with fixed penalty notices for breaching Covid-19 regulations.

• Read more: "Completely unacceptable": Covid rule breakers drive from Coventry to Durdle Door

​​More than 40 motorists were turned away from Lulworth Estate the weekend before Easter last year.  An estate ranger claimed most of the motorists came from London, but also Oxford, Brighton, Taunton and locally Dorchester, Poole and Bournemouth.

• Read more: No roadblocks BUT if you travel to Dorset without a valid reason you'll be fined

Picture: Christchurch Police 

A man was reported for breaching Covid regulations after he admitted travelling to Mudeford via Wales from Newcastle on January 23. The driver told officers they had been camping in Wales and was on his way to London.

• Read more: 'Beggars belief': Family in lockdown trip from Newcastle to Mudeford via Wales
• Read more: The seven most ridiculous reasons people have given for breaching Covid rules in Dorset

Police fined a motorist after he travelled from his Hampshire home for nice views and fresh air during lockdown. Officers from North Dorset Police stopped the vehicle and discovered the car had visited both Dorset and Wiltshire.

Read more: Motorist who travelled for nice views and fresh air during lockdown is fined and sent home

Other bizarre reasons 

Spear fishing, dog walking, visiting a friend and plans to self-isolate in a rented camper van were among the reasons given for being on the road during the Easter weekend with a group of men seen huddled together at West Cliff enjoying a barbecue.

And in January, three men travelled to the New Forest via Dorset from the Isle of Wight to look at a second-hand car were issued with fines for breaching coronavirus regulations.