PSNI issues more than 3,000 fines and warnings over coronavirus regulations

By Rebecca Black PA

Police in Northern Ireland have issued more than 3,000 fines and warnings related to coronavirus regulations.

The 3,118 total includes 45 fines of £1,000 for failure to self-isolate.

There have also been 1,598 penalty notices, 1,075 community resolution notices and 400 prohibition notices handed out since March.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) released the figures on Monday as part of their weekly update on policing the regulations.

The vast majority of the fines or warnings were issued in the Belfast City Council area (1,327).

Next was Derry City and Strabane (503), followed by Newry, Mourne and Down (240), Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon (236), Antrim and Newtownabbey (169) and Fermanagh and Omagh (167).

The fewest have been handed out in the Lisburn and Castlereagh council area (49).

Meanwhile, cases of the virus continued to rise across the weekend as Northern Ireland faces tougher restrictions on movement for four weeks.

A ward at Ulster Hospital on the outskirts of Belfast has closed to new admissions due to patients and staff being affected by Covid-19.

The South Eastern Health Trust has confirmed there are “currently a number of staff and patients affected by Covid-19 in a medical ward at the Ulster Hospital”.

Working to build safer communities and prevent the spread of #Covid19#KeepingPeopleSafe #StaySafeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/5Hf5QWdlRJ

— Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) October 26, 2020