South Wales Police issued 430 FPNs for Covid-19 breaches in December

As Wales remains at Alert Level 4 as we enter 2021, South Wales Police is encouraging the public to do the right thing to keep communities safe.

With infection rates continuing to be extremely high across the region, the highest level of Welsh Government restrictions are in place.

At alert level 4 you must:

• Follow social distancing rules with people you don’t live with or who are not in your support bubble.
• Wear a face covering (if you are able to) in all indoor public places.
• Stay at home. Exercise must start and end at your home – do not travel.
• Not create an extended household (single adults or single parents may join with one other household to form an exclusive support bubble).
• Meet only the people you live with or your support bubble indoors.
• Meet only your household or support bubble in private gardens or outdoors.
• Work from home if you can.
• Not travel without reasonable excuse.
• Not travel internationally without reasonable excuse.

Throughout December, South Wales Police has continued its policing style of explaining the rules, encouraging people to comply and only enforcing as a last resort or when there has been a blatant breach of the rules.

New powers have been given to police to conduct random vehicle checks. Under Alert Level 4, the public are expected to stay at home and not travel without a reasonable excuse. In order to support the national effort to help slow the spread of the virus, and assist in enforcing the restrictions, our officers have been given authority to stop any vehicle travelling within the force area.

A total of 941 vehicle checks have been carried out since 23^rd December, when an operation commenced to identify those travelling within the South Wales Police area without a lawful or reasonable excuse. This operation is due to continue at least until Monday, 11^th January, 2021.

Superintendent Claire Evans of South Wales Police said: “The rules are very clear that you must not mix with other households. Our health partners have been clear that indoor transmission remains one of the greatest risks, so while we will continue to work with our communities to help them understand the rules, we will enforce in those areas where we are seeing blatant or persistent breaches.

“House parties, attending gatherings and travelling to exercise are not allowed and if you do any of these things then you are running the risk of being fined.”

During December, we can confirm that 430 fixed penalty notices were issued but more than double this number of warnings were also issued.

On New Year’s Eve, police received over 240 calls relating to Covid-19 breaches - officers attended as many of these as they could during what was a busy evening and a total of 43 fixed penalty notices were issued. Other potential breaches will be followed up in the coming days.

Superintendent Evans added: “I want to thank the public for their support and for the sacrifices that communities across South Wales have made during the second wave of the pandemic.

“Restrictions which are in place are there for a reason and it is as important as it has ever been to act responsibly. Instead of thinking what you can get away with, think about what you should do to keep yourself and your family safe.”