12 footballers fined for claiming to be from same household during pub visit

21 October 2020, 15:14 | Updated: 21 October 2020, 15:17

A group of footballers have been fined for breaching coronavirus regulations
A group of footballers have been fined for breaching coronavirus regulations. Picture: PA
Nick Hardinges

By Nick Hardinges

A dozen members of a football team have been fined for claiming to be from the same household during a pub visit in South Tyneside.

Northumbria Police said the men, who have not been named, were showing a "flagrant disregard" for the region's Tier 2 rules.

The group were out drinking on Sunday night when a concerned staff member challenged them over mixing with people from different houses.

They then claimed they were in fact from the same household, leaving the pub worker unconvinced.

The police were then called to a report of a breach of the area's coronavirus regulations, which ban people from different homes mixing with each other in indoor settings.

Officers arrived at the pub and issued the 12 footballers with £200 fines.

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Chief Superintendent Janice Hutton, of Northumbria Police, said: "This group showed a flagrant disregard for the rules which are in place to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"Actions like this undermine the efforts being made by the majority of others in order to protect themselves, their family, friends and wider communities.

"We will continue to work closely with our communities and offer advice to people who have mistakenly broken the restrictions.

"However, as we have made clear, where individuals are choosing to ignore the measures in place, we are committed to taking enforcement action to protect our communities."

Northumbria Police did not name the football team or the pub.

Each player was fined £200, reduced to £100 if they pay within 14 days, and they were found to all be from different households.

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