Students who organised a party at a Nottingham residence have been issued fines – on the day new restrictions banning mixing of households came into force.
Police attended a report of a large group in a flat in Hampden Street at around 1am this morning (Wednesday 14 October) and quickly established who had organised the party.
Two students were issued fixed penalty notices of £200 and a further 15 students were warned once officers shut the party down.
City centre Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Paul Gummer said: “I cannot reiterate enough how serious the situation we currently find ourselves in is.
“The majority of students are complying with the restrictions and I am grateful to those who understand their responsibility in preventing the spread of Covid-19.
“That being said, there are a minority of people that feel as though they do not have to follow the rules and we will continue to take action against them. “The new restrictions prohibit people from mixing with from households or bubbles and we will respond to any concerns from the public around this issue.
“If we don’t recognise and adhere to the requirements, there will inevitably be consequences that place further restrictions on all our daily lives.
“Working closely with our partners in both universities and Nottingham City Council, we will continue to engage with those who are not following the guidance and, should it be deemed appropriate, we will issue fines.”
A Nottingham Trent University spokesperson said: “We are working with police and investigating this as a matter of urgency. All of our students have been made aware that they – like everyone – have a crucial role to play in limiting the spread of this virus.
“We know that the vast majority of our students will respect the guidelines and advice. Where we have evidence of any students breaching restrictions, there could be consequences under our disciplinary processes, including fines or exclusion. We are working with our accommodation partner and deploying extra security patrols to help ensure that this happens across the whole student community.”