Three breaches of isolation law leads to £10,000 fine

Chad Rowe, 35, of The Flat, 27, Le Pollet, St Peter Port, who admitted the offences, was fined a total of £10,000.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Graeme McKerrell said the defendant had put his own needs before the health and safety of everyone else and his breathtaking arrogance had risked putting the whole of Guernsey back to square one in terms of the coronavirus.

The case was aggravated by the fact that there were three charges and that he had been less than honest during the investigation.

The majority of people in Guernsey had complied with the law.

Prosecuting Advocate Rory Calderwood told the court how the defendant had returned to Guernsey on a flight from Southampton that arrived at about 10am on 6 Aug. He was given self-isolation guidance at the airport and his legal obligations were explained to him.

When he asked if he could visit The Queen's Road Medical Practice on his way home to collect his medication he was told he could not.

When customs officers went to his home the following day there was no answer at the door. Employees in the coffee shop below the flat said they had seen him go out. Later examination of CCTV footage showed the defendant going to The Paper Shop at about 7am and returning with a litre of milk.

When officers visited later and asked the defendant if he had got his medication he said his mother was collecting it for him later that day.

A subsequent enquiry with The Queen's Road Medical Practice found that Rowe had attended there at about 4.20pm the day before - on the day of his return to Guernsey - and had asked for his medication though it had not been available.

On 14 August enquiries with staff at the coffee shop revealed that the defendant had again left the flat. CCTV footage showed him in the area of Boots. When officers went to his flat, he denied going out other than to have a cigarette at the door.

When shown the CCTV he admitted going to the bank and said he had done it because he needed money for food.

Advocate Oliver Fattorini said his client was very remorseful for what he had done and wished to apologise to the people of Guernsey for his actions. He was in financial difficulties as his ability to make a living as a fisherman had been affected by the Coronavirus.

Making him pay any financial penalty from custody would make the position worse as he would lose his job, his income and his home.

He could afford to pay £200 today.

Judge McKerrell said it would have to be more than that. He noted that the defendant had breached court orders in the past which had imposed for different types of offences.

Rowe was fined £2,000 for going to The Queen's Road Medical Practice, £3,000 for going to The Paper Shop and £5,000 for going to the bank. He was ordered to pay £2,000 before he was released from custody and the balance at a rate of £500 per week.