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Just five of the £10,000 Covid fines issued last year have actually been paid
Latest figures show how many fines have actually been paid…
Latest figures suggest only a fraction of the £10,000 lockdown fines issued last year have actually been paid, with dozens more being challenged or ignored.
Between August and December 20th last year, police in England issued 196 of the fines with just two handed out in Wales. The fines were given to organisers of gatherings of more than 30 people including raves, parties and protests.
Of those 196 fines issued in England, only five have been paid according to snapshot figures. 53 are being formally contested, 42 have been ignored and 96 still have time left to pay in the 28-day payment period.
The data from Acro the criminal records office was given to the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC). Figures released late in the month by the PA news agency via Acro showed that 76 of the 198 fines issued in England and Wales were being contested.
Legal and policy officer for Big Brother Watch, Madeleine Stone, called unpaid lockdown fines ‘a prosecution crisis waiting to happen’.
She said: “These life-changing fines are a draconian and ineffective response to the pandemic.”
Rosalind Comyn, policy and campaigns manager at Liberty, said: “The creation of £10,000 fines was completely disproportionate and only serves to punish people financially at a time of great economic uncertainty.
“For many people this fine is impossible to pay, and so this tactic just widens the number of people at risk of being criminalised.”
Human rights barrister, Kirsty Brimelow QC said: “The majority of people cannot afford to pay a £10,000 fine. People are being set up to fail by the issuing of these notices.”
Police warned the government in November over the super-fines, as those who paid within the 28 day period could face a larger bill than those who fought the penalty in court.
Initially, officers were told to stop issuing penalties, however it was later agreed that those issued with a £10,000 fine were to be made fully aware of their right to fight it in court.
Senior officers are said to be not surprised by the proportion of fines being contested due to the sheer size of the fine.
An NPCC spokesperson said: “Police use a 4Es approach of engaging with the public, explaining the rules, and encouraging compliance with them.
“Large gatherings should not be happening in the current circumstances and the regulations in place for everyone’s safety are absolutely clear on that.
“Those who organise large gatherings know they are breaking the law and putting others at risk.
“Officers will only issue a fine as a last resort, but will not waste time with endless encouragement where there is a clear and egregious breach of the rules, such as for these large gatherings.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The majority of the public are continuing to play their part to control this terrible virus by staying at home – it is shameful that a small minority continue to flout the law and it’s right we have a strong deterrent for those who put us at risk by ignoring the rules.
“Those who refuse to pay fixed penalty notices may face court action and a possible criminal record.
“We have given police the appropriate guidance to ensure they can charge offences correctly, and rigorously enforce the law, which is why we have made £60 million of extra funding available to police and local authorities.”
Latest figures show that a total of 250 fines were issued in England and Wales up to January 17th.
In the past month, they include fines to a funeral director over a service attended by 150 in Welwyn Garden City, organisers of a mass snowball fight in Leeds and organisers of a wedding attended by around 150 people in north London.
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‘Heartbroken’ family of three-year-old girl tragically killed in M6 crash pay tribute
‘RIP baby girl, we are all missing you and will carry on forever’
The three-year-old girl who tragically died in a horror crash on the motorway this weekend has been named.
Faye Dawson, from Wallasey in Merseyside, died when an elderly driver’s Porsche collided with the car she was in on the M6 in Lancashire.
Emergency services responded to the incident, which happened between Preston and Leyland, at about 5.50pm on Saturday, November 19th.
The M6 was shut in both directions for several hours following the tragic incident, with two lanes of the southbound carriageway remaining closed on Sunday while emergency surface repairs were undertaken.
Lancashire Police
Faye’s family have now released a tribute, saying: “We can’t see the future without you, it has left a massive hole in our lives.
“Everyone says how precious their daughter/granddaughter is but you were an exception, you were such a clever little girl who was very funny and had us all laughing all the time.
“You were so loving and caring and above all very loved by everyone who met you. You’re now at rest with your great nanny, great grandad, and Uncle Jimmy.
“Words won’t justify how much we are all going to miss you and how much we all love you. Your mummy is being so brave, and she will continue to make you proud.
“You were too little to be taken away from us, but we know the angels will look after you and they’re lucky to have you dancing in the sky with them.
“We are all so heartbroken that you were taken far too young, but we are so glad that we got to have you for the time we did.
“RIP baby girl, we are all missing you and will carry on forever. All our love.”
Lancashire Police
Police think that the Porsche – which was being driven by a 79-year-old man who also died at the scene – crashed into the Vauxhall Meriva that Faye was travelling in.
The car then flipped on its side and burst into flames, with two adults travelling in the Vauxhall rushed to hospital.
Faye’s mother suffered serious injuries and is being treated in hospital, while a man who was in the car also received serious injuries.
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Officers are still appealing for witnesses. Sergeant Craig Booth, the serious Collision Investigator for Lancashire Police’s Tactical Operations Unit, said: “These are very sad and tragic circumstances.
“This was a traumatic scene for all witnesses and emergency services involved, I would like to pass on my thanks for their dedication in dealing with an incident which can only be described as horrific.
“We want to hear from any witnesses to the collision or those who have dashcam footage from the area around the time it happened.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage from the motorway can contact 101 – quoting log 1102 of November 19th, 2022.
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‘Devastated’ family pay tribute to ‘kind and caring’ teenager stabbed to death
‘He was such a kind and well-mannered young boy’
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Here’s who could buy Manchester United as possibility of sale becomes more likely
Who would you like to see take over?
As we reported earlier this week, Manchester United could finally be sold by the Glazers after 17 years.
Reports from Sky News revealed that the American owners were preparing to announce their intention to examine sources of outside investment, potentially including a full-blown auction.
The Glazers’ time in charge of the Red Devils has been dominated by fan protests and a decline in on-pitch performances, culminating in Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent interview in which he openly criticised the club and owners.
And now, Manchester United’s owners have confirmed that selling the club is a possibility, as they seek to increase both its sporting and commercial success.
According to a statement, the board of directors was ‘commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives for the club’, with this including the potential for ‘new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions’.
But who might buy Manchester United?
Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Sir Jim is one of Britain’s richest men with a reported net worth of £10.9bn. On top of that he’s a boyhood Man United fan, and already owns French side Nice and Swiss side FC Lausanne-Sport.
After it was reported back in August the Glazers were considering selling a minority stake of Manchester United, he expressed interest in buying the club.
A group of former Manchester United players
This option would be popular with fans, as a group of ex-United favourites have experience owning a football club – including Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, and Ryan Giggs, who are co-owners of Salford City.
The Red Knights
The Red Knights are a group of wealthy United supporters which count ex-Football League chairman Keith Harris, former Goldman Sachs chief economist Lord O’Neill, and hedge fund manager Sir Paul Marshall among their ranks.
A US private equity firm
Back in August, there were several reports that the New York-based private equity firm Apollo were in talks to buy a minority stake of the club.
A sovereign wealth fund
Unlike Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, Dubai is yet to acquire a Premier League football club, with the nation’s sovereign wealth fund reported as a potential bidder for United.
Pexels
The statement from the Glazers to the New York Stock Exchange confirmed earlier reports and revealed the club’s next steps.
The statement says: “Manchester United plc, one of the most successful and historic sports clubs in the world, announces today that the Company’s Board of Directors is commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives for the club.
“The process is designed to enhance the club’s future growth, with the ultimate goal of positioning the club to capitalise on opportunities both on the pitch and commercially.
“As part of this process, the Board will consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the Company.
“This will include an assessment of several initiatives to strengthen the club, including stadium and infrastructure redevelopment, and expansion of the club’s commercial operations on a global scale, each in the context of enhancing the long-term success of the club’s men’s, women’s and academy teams, and bringing benefits to fans and other stakeholders.”
Executive Co-Chairmen and Directors, Avram Glazer and Joel Glazer added: “The strength of Manchester United rests on the passion and loyalty of our global community of 1.1 billion fans and followers. As we seek to continue building on the Club’s history of success, the Board has authorised a thorough evaluation of strategic alternatives.
“We will evaluate all options to ensure that we best serve our fans and that Manchester United maximises the significant growth opportunities available to the Club today and in the future. Throughout this process we will remain fully focused on serving the best interests of our fans, shareholders, and various stakeholders.”
The statement continued: “The Raine Group is acting as the Company’s exclusive financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP is legal counsel to the Company. Rothschild and Co. is acting as exclusive financial advisor to the Glazer family shareholders.
“There can be no assurance that the review being undertaken will result in any transaction involving the Company. Manchester United does not intend to make further announcements regarding the review unless and until the Board has approved a specific transaction or other course of action requiring a formal announcement.”
‘Heartbroken’ family of three-year-old girl tragically killed in M6 crash pay tribute
‘Devastated’ family pay tribute to ‘kind and caring’ teenager stabbed to death
NEW OPENING: The bakery serving school dinner cakes and cookie dough tubs
Here’s who could buy Manchester United as possibility of sale becomes more likely
Manchester United owners the Glazers issue update on sale of the club
