Revellers caught on police video fleeing lockdown party

Nineteen people reported for summons for £800 fines

Revellers pushing and shoving as they attempted to flee from a party that broke lockdown rules have been caught on police camera.

Officers from Hampshire Constabulary responded to reports of a gathering at a home in Portsmouth on 30 January.

The force released body-worn video footage of the partygoers trying to barge their way out of the property to escape fines.

“Everyone’s going to be leaving one at a time so we can process you guys and get your details,” an officer can be heard saying.

Nineteen people were reported for summons for £800 fixed penalty notices for breaches of Covid-19 regulations, a spokesperson said.

Assistant Chief Constable Maggie Blyth said: “This party is not a one-off, we’re increasingly seeing reports of gatherings of people from multiple households as some members of the public are struggling to observe the national restrictions in place.

“Not all these gatherings are of this size, but they are all breaching the current health protection regulations and putting lives at risk.”

The force said it released the video to highlight the seriousness of such incidents.

“The message is simple, stay at home,” ACC Blyth said.

“The people attending this party were putting themselves and their loved ones at risk from Covid-19, not to mention the wider community.

“It’s actions like this that place increased and unnecessary pressure on the NHS.”

Fines of £800 for people breaching lockdown to attend house parties of more than 15 people were introduced in England in January. The fixed penalty notices double for each repeat offence to a maximum of £6,400.

Fines of up to £10,000 for holding large illegal gatherings of more than 30 people apply only to the organisers. More than 250 such fines have been issued in England so far.