A senior police officer has confirmed that people leaving the country in breach of the Government’s holiday ban will not be stopped or arrested by police. New coronavirus regulations that come into force on Monday will result in people leaving England without a valid reason facing a £5,000 fine.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council chairman, Martin Hewitt has said that officers would hand out the penalties to anyone found flouting the rules to go on holiday. However, he also said that the UK Border Force will be in charge of stopping people. He said: ‘We are not simply going to arrest people because they are trying to leave the country’.
It has emerged via NPCC data that 508 fines had been issued by forces in England and to people failing to self-isolate after arriving from a country on the Government quarantine list up to March 14.
Mr Hewitt has stated that enforcement from next week would primarily be a matter for Border Force as well as private security contractors. He said: ‘Police will not automatically stop travellers, though officers will continue to question people about the reasons for their travel in the airport terminals or the car park or the other points of entry and exit. With the new legislation in relation to travel coming into force on Monday, if officers do discover anyone who is breaching the rules, then we will issue a fine where necessary. Whether people become barred from travelling is not a police issue, though, that is for UK Border Force’.
Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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