Father and son who travelled to Flintshire from Manchester issued with COVID-19 fines for second time

A man and his son have been issued with fines for a second time after breaching coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The two have been travelling from the Manchester area to a site Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Flintshire.

Police from the North Wales Rural Crime team said the father and son keep returning to the SSSI in Flintshire despite being told not to return to ‘carry out unnecessary work.’

A tweet from rural crime team said: “Incredibly be have had to issue COVID fines to the same father & son who keep returning to an area of Flintshire from Manchester to carry out unnecessary work on a SSSI, despite being told not to…

They have both been fined twice now…two weekends on the run!”

Incredibly be have had to issue COVID fines to the same father & son who keep returning to an area of Flintshire from Manchester to carry out unnecessary work on a SSSI, despite being told not to…

They have both been fined twice now…two weekends on the run!#unbelievable pic.twitter.com/k4K3YVC3xM

— Tîm Troseddau Cefn Gwlad HGC/ NWP Rural Crime Team (@NWPRuralCrime) May 18, 2020

The North Wales police and crime commissioner has called on the First Minister to increase fines for those found breaking coronavirus lockdown rules.

Currently, fines in Wales begin at £60 and go up to £120 for repeat offenders. These fines can be reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

The amount in England was previously raised to £100 and Mr Jones has called for Wales to follow suit.

There have been a number of reported breaches of coronavirus regulations in North Wales over the weekend.

They included a family of 11 who travelled 120 miles from Manchester to visit an Anglesey beauty spot.

The group drove in three different cars to spend the day at South Stack, which police described as “unbelievable”.

Meanwhile, driver from as far afield as London, Norwich and even Scotland had to be turned away by officers in Llanrwst.

People in England can now drive to the countryside, beaches and beauty spots to take exercise irrespective of the distance.

They are not allowed to cross over the border into Wales on day trips or to take exercise, here the message remains the same  ‘stay at home to saves lives.’