A man in Wales was ordered to pay more than £800 after driving to Tenby to buy a bouncy castle during lockdown back in April, when a ban on non-essential travel was still in place.
The man from Llanybydder in Carmarthenshire was stopped by police on the A477, Wales Online reports, as he drove down to the harbour town in south-west Wales.
The court heard how the 24-year-old told officers from Dyfed-Powys Police that he'd been travelling with his pal 'in order for his friend to purchase a bouncy castle'.
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He had been travelling at a time when non-essential journeys were banned as part of the country's first lockdown period, and his reasoning was not considered essential.
On Tuesday 20 October, the driver was ordered to pay £811 - which consisted of a £660 fine, prosecution costs of £85 and a £66 victim surcharge - at Carmarthenshire Magistrates' Court in Llanelli.
Another man from Birmingham has also been ordered to pay more than £800 after driving to Pembrokeshire to 'fix his girlfriend's car' in May.
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The 48-year-old had been stopped by police on the A477 in the village of Llanteg as he travelled to west Wales.
He was fined £660 at Carmarthenshire Magistrates' Court on Thursday 22 October, along with £85 in costs and the £66 victim surcharge.
More recently, a family from Sussex were stopped by police as they tried to enter Wales - this time during the firebreak lockdown.
Police said the family had travelled for 'over five hours' from Sussex, even though their journey was for a 'non-essential reason'.
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But their trip came to an end when they were stopped on the A40 in Whitland, Carmarthenshire, during the early hours of Friday morning (23 October).
When confronted by police, their journey was deemed non-essential and officers escorted them out of the county.
A Twitter statement from Carmarthen Police said: "During the early hours, a family from Sussex were stopped on the A40, Whitland.
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"Despite being aware of the national lockdown, they travelled over 5 hours for a non-essential reason.
"The occupants were suitably advised and escorted out of county."
Wales is currently in a two-week firebreak lockdown, which means anyone who doesn't work in an essential job has to stay at home, as with the previous UK-wide lockdown in March.
All hospitality settings, as well as schools and other public amenities, will have to close for the fortnight-long period, which will last for a fixed period until 9 November.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: UK News, lockdown, News
