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Two Men Fined £10,000 Each After 150 People Attend Funeral

Two Men Fined £10,000 Each After 150 People Attend Funeral

The funeral director was fined for not advising the family on the rules

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Two men have been fined £10,000 each after 150 people turned up to a funeral.

The family that hosted the service in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, was warned by police beforehand, with officers telling them that only 30 mourners could attend due to the current restrictions surrounding the pandemic.

However, police were forced to get involved and send people home after they turned up to find almost 150 in attendance.

As a result, the 41-year-old funeral director, from Mansfield, was fined £10,000 by the Hertfordshire Constabulary for 'not managing this event correctly or advising their clients of the rules'.

According to reports, another man in his 30s was also fined £10,000 for his part in it.

Superintendent Nick Caveney, of the Hertfordshire Constabulary, has warned about 'flagrant breaches' of coronavirus rules and said police will not hesitate to act.

He said: "This is a very difficult time for everyone, and whilst we completely understand that people would like to mourn their loved ones, we have to remember that the current circumstances are out of the ordinary and that we must adhere to the rules to keep each other safe.

Covid restrictions limit the number of people who can attend funerals in the UK.
PA

"This was a clear and blatant breach of the current restrictions, which are necessary in order to protect the NHS and help save lives.

"We have issued a £10,000 fine to a funeral director from Mansfield for not managing this event correctly and advising their clients of the rules.

"We implore all business owners to ensure that they are they are following the restrictions safely and responsibly. Flagrant breaches of the restrictions such as this will not be tolerated in Hertfordshire."

Chief Superintendent John Murphy from the Bedfordshire force said they are not looking to dish out huge fines, and want to work with families if possible.

He added: "Fines and enforcement are a last resort for us, and we will always engage and work with families in the first instance.

Police handed out two fines for the breaches of Covid rules.
PA

"But we need to take firm action against those who brazenly decide to go against the guidelines outlined by the government and put a large number of people at risk."

In what would be another flagrant breach, a salon owner who was fined for breaking lockdown rules has said she plans to reopen next week.

Sinead Quinn, who runs Quinn Blakey Hairdressing in Bradford, had attempted to use the Magna Carta as her defence when she kept her business open last year.

And despite being issued with numerous notices, mounting up to thousands of pounds in fines, she has now said she plans to breach Covid rules once again and reopen on 30 January.

Currently, all non-essential businesses have been forced to close until at least the middle of February.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Police, covid, lockdown, Coronavirus, Health, Covid-19