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Man fined £500 for ignoring social distancing rules outside Tesco
He appeared in court today.
A man from Greater Manchester has been fined £500 for refusing to follow social distancing guidelines.
Steven Mackie told police he could ‘do what he wants’ after he was spotted outside Tesco getting close to shoppers, ITV News reports.
Mackie, 53, was subsequently arrested outside the Tesco in Stalybridge on Saturday, March 28th, for twice ignoring the new social distancing rules.
He approached members of the public queuing outside the store at 5.30pm, in an antisocial manner. He was taken home by police before returning and doing the same again.
While in the police van, Mackie began punching and kicking it, telling officers he was going to return to Tesco ‘no matter what they said’, Stockport Magistrates’ Court heard.
He did return, and refused to keep two metres away from other people, so he was arrested. At the police station he said: “I was six feet away according to Boris Johnson’s guidelines. What a waste of money and time this is. Six officers attending, have you got nothing else better to do.”
Mackie pleaded guilty to one count of failing to maintain public health and causing public disorder and nuisance.
The maximum penalty for this new offence under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2020 is an unlimited fine.
Instead he was fined £500, and ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £50 victim surcharge, a total of £635.