A parent has been fined £200 after their child broke coronavirus restrictions in Tadley.

Police were called to reports of anti-social behaviour on Saturday evening, with one possible sighting of a weapon.

Basingstoke police attended the scene and detained one person matching the description.

The youngster was searched and returned home, with their parent fined £200 under the Coronavirus Act. 

Basingstoke Gazette:

Due to coronavirus restrictions, it is currently against the law to meet outside in groups.

People can be fined £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400.

Anyone involved in holding an illegal gathering can be fined £10,000.

What is the Coronavirus Act? 

The Coronavirus Act 2020 is emergency legislation introduced by the government to help the country cope with the demands caused by the coronavirus outbreak. 

The legislation has wide-ranging powers that allows the government to restrict, or stop, gatherings and events during a coronavirus outbreak period. It also includes closing premises. 

Under the Act, a police officer has reasonable grounds for suspecting you are potentially infectious, they can:

  • tell you to go immediately to a place for screening and assessment, or
  • they can take you there themselves.

If you are already at a place for screening and assessment, a police officer can keep you there for up to 24 hours until a public health officer can carry out the screening and assessment.  This time limit can be extended for a further 24 hours by a senior police officer.

The police can also enforce a requirement imposed on you by a public health officer to stay in a particular place.

You can be fined under the Act if you fail to comply with what a public health officer, police officer or immigration officer tells you to do (unless you have a reasonable excuse).

You can also be fined if don’t make sure your child complies with what a public health officer, police officer or immigration officer tells your child to do (unless you have a reasonable excuse).

Or if you run away or try to run away from a place where you are being taken or kept, provide information which you know to be untrue or misleading or obstruct an officer or health officer in their line of work. 

If you are convicted of any of these offences by a court, you could receive a fine of up to £1,000.

Guidelines advise the police to encourage the public to comply voluntarily in the first instance.