The maximum fine for repeated breaches of the coronavirus lockdown rules in Wales will rise from £120 to £1,920, First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.
The increased fines are being introduced ahead of the bank holiday weekend and they follow a request from the four police forces in Wales and the Police and Crime Commissioners for increased penalties to help deter people from repeatedly breaching the stay-at-home regulations.
Evidence from the four police forces show a small minority of people are breaking the coronavirus regulations, particularly by travelling to well-known beauty spots throughout Wales, even though they have been closed since the end of March.
Announcing the changes to the fines structure, which will come into force on Friday, Mark Drakeford said: “I am very grateful to the chief constables and our Police and Crime Commissioners for all the work they have done to keep Wales safe throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
“The police have adopted a ‘4Es’ approach to the regulations – they have engaged people, explained what they need to do and encouraged them to comply. But when people haven’t responded, they have used their powers to enforce the regulations.
“Fines are a last resort in the enforcement of the regulations which keep us all safe.
“The evidence from the chief constables and Police and Crime Commissioners shows we need a stronger fines structure to deter that small minority of people who persistently fail to keep to the rules.”
Evidence from the four police forces and Police and Crime Commissioners shows more than 1,300 fixed penalty notices have been issued since the lockdown restrictions were introduced at the end of March.
The existing fines structure, which imposed a £60 fine for a first offence rising to £120 for a second and subsequent offences, will be replaced by a new structure in which the fines double for every offence – rising from £60 to £120 to £1,920 for the sixth offence.
The First Minister added: “As we approach the bank holiday weekend, we continue to ask people to stay at home to protect themselves and their loved ones from coronavirus. If they are exercising – please stay safe and stay local.
“I want to thank everyone for their continuing support in reducing the spread of coronavirus in Wales – by sticking to the rules, we are all helping to protect each other and our NHS and we are saving lives.
“These changes will send a strong signal to the small minority of people who are blatantly ignoring the rules and undermining the efforts of everybody else who are doing the right thing.”
New regulations to increase the fines will be laid in the Senedd on Thursday and will come into force on Friday.
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