Man fined £4,000 for breaching self-isolation
A MAN was fined £4,000 in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday for failing to self-isolate under coronavirus laws.
Kieran Allen, of Flat 5, 9, Sausmarez Street, St Peter Port, admitted the offence.
Prosecuting officer Marc Davies told the court how the defendant had returned to the island by sea on 23 August when the requirement to self-isolate was explained to him and he opted for a seven-day test.
He said he would be self-isolating at La Collinette Hotel.
When police and customs officers went there on 28 August they were told he had gone out.
They decided to walk the area and found him about half-way between the hotel and the St Jacques Tavern.
He was walking in the direction of the hotel and his breath smelled of alcohol and he was unsteady on his feet.
He said he had just been to Union Street to see his parents.
He invited officers to prosecute him and said he would just do the time.
In interview, he said he had gone out to collect his medication and had had a few drinks before he left.
He said he had not been out long.
Advocate Sam Maindonald said her client’s mother had made arrangements to collect his medication from the pharmacy because they had not realised that it could have been delivered.
He had deliberately gone back the long way so as to avoid contact with as many people as possible.
Judge Graeme McKerrell said the defendant could also have gone that way to take in a visit to St Jacques Tavern.
Advocate Maindonald said police and customs officers would have checked that.
Her client’s test result had been negative.
He had £100 on him, which he could put towards the fine.
Judge McKerrell said the fine would be a substantial one.
He was sceptical of what the defendant had said about the route he had taken.
Self-isolating meant self-isolating and if there were any problems as had been described here, there were ways around them.
From what was being said the virus was not going away any time soon and certainly not in the immediate future.
The court had to play its part in keeping the people of Guernsey safe. Allen was told he would have to pay £500 of the penalty before he would be allowed to leave custody.
