NEW figures reveal where people who flouted Wales’ lockdown by travelling into Gwent were from.

And it also shows where in England Gwent residents were fined after breaching pandemic restrictions.

Data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council show people travelled from as far as London into Gwent during lockdown.

The figures show how many fines Gwent Police handed out when strict lockdown was enforced between March 27 and May 25.

In total, 111 fixed penalty notices (FPN) were issued.

The majority of these fines (98) were given to residents within Gwent.

This is where people who travelled into Gwent from England and were fined were from:

  • Avon and Somerset – 1
  • Essex – 1
  • Kent – 1
  • Metropolitan Police Service (London boroughs) – 1
  • Thames Valley – 1
  • West Midlands – 2
  • West Yorkshire – 1

Five people who are from the South Wales Police force area were also fined.

The figures also show where in Wales and England Gwent residents were fined.

And most of those fines – outside of Gwent – were in the Dyfed-Powys police force area (72).

One person was fined after travelling nearly 250 to Suffolk, in England.  

Where else Gwent residents were fined for flouting lockdown:

  • Avon and Somerset – 1
  • Gloucestershire – 3
  • Hampshire – 1
  • North Wales – 2
  • South Wales – 6
  • Suffolk – 1
  • Thames Valley – 3
  • West Midlands – 2
  • Wiltshire – 10

Throughout lockdown, Gwent Police took an approach revolving around engagement and explanation.

And this strategy was echoed across the UK, says National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair Martin Hewitt.

He said: “The number of FPNs issued overall is low reflecting our approach of enforcing only as a last resort.

“It is also important to recognise that this data presents only a partial picture as it does not show the hundreds of thousands of interactions with the public where engagement, explanation and encouragement was effective and there was no need to issue a fine. 

“Those who were given a fine did not follow the regulations that millions of others were abiding by, which were there to control the spread of a deadly virus, protect the NHS and save lives.”