Coronavirus: Father fined £480 after son is caught flouting lockdown rules four times
A father has been fined after his teenage son broke coronavirus lockdown regulations four times in quick succession.
Officers from West Midlands Police issued the man from Walsall with a fixed penalty notice of £480, which could be doubled to £960, if the teenager continues to go outside without a good reason.
The youngster reportedly left his house three times before a warning letter was sent to his father.
When he went out again, the force was left with “no option but to issue a fine”.
Commenting on the fine, Sergeant Stephen Pursglove, of Walsall Police, said “The youth has now come to our attention on four separate occasions when he has been outside without good reason.
“On at least three of these he was with other youths and on one occasion he was abusive to the officer who tried to speak to him as he ran away.
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“His father was spoken to after the first incident and the regulations, the reason for them and the risks to all of us, especially the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, were fully explained to him.
“Despite this he has failed prevent his son going out and associating with others not of his family.
“This left us with no option but to issue a fine. If the youth goes out again without good reason and again associates with others the fine will be doubled and could reach £960.”
Reiterating the force’s plea to stay at home, Sgt Pursglove said: “We urge everyone to stay at home and only go out for a short period of exercise once a day, or to go to the shop for essential items or travel to work where it is not possible to work from home.
“Some people seem to think that they will not catch the virus but they can unwittingly pass it on to others as well as catching it themselves.
“Thousands of people have now died in our own country and many thousands more will die if we don’t all do everything asked of us to prevent the spread of the virus.
“While the vast majority of people are doing as they are asked, it is a pity we now have to put ourselves at risk dealing with those who do not.”
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