Covid: Nottingham teenager fined £10,000 for hosting house party

‘We will not tolerate those who deliberately put other people’s lives in danger,’ say police

A teenager has been fined £10,000 after hosting a 50-guest house party in contravention of coronavirus rules.

Nottinghamshire Police handed out the fixed penalty notice to the man, 19, on Friday night in Harlaxton Drive, Lenton.

Neighbours reported the party to police at about 10.20pm but local council officers who initially responded “were met with hostility from the organiser”, police said.

Nottinghamshire Police then sent its own officers who found some 50 people in the house.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cooper said in a statement: “We need to all remember we are very much still in the middle of a global pandemic and we all need to take responsibility for our actions.

“This party was a clear example of a householder who deliberately flouted the rules without a care for anyone else and as a result we have used the full powers we have to deal with this.

“Under current rules we can issue fines to anyone hosting gatherings of more than 30 people which can result in fines of up to £10,000. And now we are on the eve of rules becoming even tighter so there can be gatherings of no more than six.

“I want to send out a clear message to anyone who is thinking of deliberately hosting parties tonight or tomorrow night ahead of the rules changing to please not do this.

"As we have demonstrated here we are not afraid to use the full powers we have and we will not tolerate those who are deliberately put other people’s lives in danger.”

Other examples of hefty fines being handed out for breaking Covid-19 rules include the £10,000 ticket given to Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, for organising an anti-face-mask protest in London.

This week, a woman was fined twice in one day for refusing to wear a face mask.

Amy English, Nottinghamshire Police’s neighbourhood policing Inspector for city central, added in the statement: "Residents have had fair warning that we won't tolerate people flouting the laws and regulations around the Coronavirus restrictions must be adhered to by everyone.

"In this case the resident also had the chance to shut the party down when they were first visited by our council colleagues.

“Despite blatantly breaching the regulations, there's no doubt in my mind that not everyone attending would have been social distancing which is irresponsible and puts everyone's health at risk.”