People across Harborough warned to follow the Covid-19 rules across Christmas and New Year - or risk being fined up to £10,000

People across Harborough are being warned by the police - follow the toughest Tier 3 Covid-19 rules across Christmas and New Year or risk being fined up to £10,000.

The warning has been issued as Leicestershire Police revealed they have handed out 37 fines totalling £23,500 over the last fortnight alone to people flouting the coronavirus restrictions in the county.

Two of these were the maximum £10,000 fines for holding parties for over 30 people.

On Saturday December 12, two people from Leicester were given £10,000 fines for throwing a bash of over 60 people at a house in King Street, Leicester.

Other fines dished out include:

· Two fines issued for failure to comply with reasonable instruction

· Two fines issued for participating in indoor gathering

· Two fines issued under Tier 3 - holding gathering of more than 30 persons in a private dwelling in Tier 3 area - £10,000

· Two fines issued under Tier 3 - gathering of two or more people in other public outdoor place in Tier 3 area

· 23 fines issued under Tier 3 - gathering of two or more people in private dwelling/indoors in a Tier 3 area

· Four fines issued under Tier 3 - Person from a Tier 3 area participating in gathering of two or more people in other public outdoor place outside the area

· Four fines issued for failing to self-isolate.

And on top of that, some 26 businesses were visited to check on Covid compliance and to offer advice.

Assistant Chief Constable Julia Debenham said: “The party in King Street is a perfect example of how some people are deliberately making the choice to ignore the rules.

“As we are now so near to the Christmas and New Year holidays we cannot tolerate this minority who are blatantly putting the safety of our communities at risk.

“The majority of the public have been and continue to be amazing and making the right choices throughout this pandemic.

“To have a small minority put so many people at risk is something we will continue to tackle and to use the legislation available to us.”

She added: “We have taken thousands of calls throughout this pandemic about breaches of the regulations.

“We will continue to respond to these incidents over the festive period.

“Our priority is to protect public safety.

“If people breach the regulations and put others at needless risk, they can expect to be fined.”