Bury St Edmunds man fined for breaching coronavirus lockdown rules

A man who broke lockdown rules by meeting with others in a town centre has been fined more than £1,000 in total.

Percy Barber, 54, of York Close, Bury St Edmunds, met with three others on Cornhill, close to the Poundland Store, on November 10 last year.

On Monday, Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard it was the second time he had been told to move from the area after being spotted meeting with three others the day before, by the same officer.

At first, Barber, who is unemployed, denied the charge of 'gathering in a public place with more than two people', insisting he had been three metres away from the others and that as they belonged to the same family, the rules didn't apply.

He also denied resisting arrest after a scuffle broke out with PC Fish, after Barber refused to give his name and address for a fixed penalty notice.

He argued with the officer that the coronavirus regulations were 'only guidelines' and not 'the law'.

Barber, changed his plea to guilty, to both charges, however, after being shown bodycam footage taken by the arresting officer.

Barber said that he was 'sorry for what he had done' and blamed his lack on understanding of the restrictions on 'watching too many YouTube videos' about coronavirus.

"With YouTube putting things in my head, I thought I knew the law, but accept I was guilty," he said.

Barber also pleaded guilty to resisting arrest after the footage showed him telling PC Fish that he 'wasn't strong enough' to arrest him and that he had 'better call for back-up'.

Presiding magistrate, Malcolm Hogarth, said it was clear that Mr Barber had spent a 'prolonged time' in a public place, had broken coronavirus rules at the time, and had become 'belligerent' when arrested.

Barber was fined £270 for breaching covid rules, £160 for resisting arrest, was ordered to pay costs of £620 and a surcharge of £43.

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