Covid: Woman fined £10k over Ormskirk 'student birthday party'

A woman has been fined £10,000 for a "blatant breach" of Covid restrictions after a birthday party attended by more than 30 people was broken up by police.

Lancashire Police broke up the gathering at a house on Wigan Road, Ormskirk, in the early hours of Sunday.

A force spokesman said the attendees were believed to be students from Edge Hill University.

He said many had fled when officers arrived but nine had been issued with £800 fixed penalty notices.

Body-worn camera footage released by the force showed the woman who had organised the party telling officers it was supposed to have been a "little gathering".

"How do you expect a 20-year-old girl to pay £10,000 for this?" she said, adding: "It's not worth £10,000."

Another person can be heard telling officers that "we've been bored and we want to have fun".

The force said in addition to the fines, a 23-year-old man was arrested after an officer was pushed and is due to appear at Preston Magistrates' Court in April.

Supt Karen Edwards said the party was "a blatant breach of the current restrictions, which are in place to prevent the virus from spreading and to keep everybody safe".

She said it was "unbelievably selfish for anyone to believe they are exempt when so many law-abiding citizens have not seen friends and family properly in almost a year".

A spokesman for Edge Hill University said the institution was "fully co-operating and working closely with the police" over what happened.

"It was completely unacceptable behaviour and we will be taking appropriate action in line with our disciplinary procedures," he added.

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