Went to the supermarket and pub hours after back in island

The incident happened on 30 December.

The Magistrate’s Court was told all of the 37-year-old’s Covid-19 tests had proven negative.

Fining him £5,000 for each breach, Judge Gary Perry told Giedris that Guernsey was now back in lockdown due to breaches either intended, or unintended, in public places, just as he had done on these occasions.

‘Your actions could have led to what has happened in Guernsey recently and the court’s penalties have to reflect the seriousness of what you have done,’ he said.

Giedris, of Flat 2, Bristol House, New Road, St Sampson’s, admitted both breaches.

Prosecuting officer Sarah Watson told the court how the requirement to self-isolate for 21 days, or until he gave a negative day 13 test, was explained to the defendant at the harbour and he accepted he could be prosecuted if he failed to comply.

The next day Customs officers went to his home to do a self-isolation check.

When he came to the door he was cautioned and offered the opportunity to speak to an advocate, which he declined.

He said he had gone to the pub the day before at about 10.30pm where he had drunk one or two pints. He left his car on The Bridge and walked home. He denied going anywhere else and said he had provided negative Covid checks in both Jersey and Guernsey.

On Monday 18 January he attended the police station voluntarily for interview. He accepted that the necessary paperwork had been served on him at the harbour.

He said he had gone to the pub that night because he and his mother had argued and said he had also been to a supermarket.

He had done this because he needed the pin code to get into his home and somebody there was able to give it to him.

While at home he had got drunk and this had been a factor in him going to the pub.

He had no relevant previous convictions.

Advocate Clare Tee said her client was aware that there was little she could say in terms of mitigation.

He had driven to St Malo from Germany and had gone to the Co-op on The Bridge as his mother worked there. This could have had horrific consequences given the context of the situation that Guernsey currently found itself in but her client’s tests had been negative. Alcohol played a part in his decision to go to the pub, but he was not making excuses. He had been in Guernsey since 2003 and intended to stay here. He worked as a cleaner and was currently on reduced hours.

Judge Perry said the defendant got full credit for his early guilty pleas. Without his admissions police might have had difficulty in investigating at least one of the breaches.

‘If you have been in Guernsey for some time you will know how seriously the island treats breaches of the covid regulations,’ he said.

The court heard Giedris could only afford to pay £250 at the moment. Judge Perry said the default time for £10,000 was 500 days in prison which he could sentence him to there and then so the offer had to be significantly more before he would be released from custody.

After speaking to someone else by telephone, Giedris said he could pay £3,250 before he left the building. He must attend a fine review court at the end of March.

At yesterday’s Covid-19 press conference, States chief executive Paul Whitfield announced the breach publicly and reminded islanders of the importance of adhering to self-isolation regulations.

In a statement following the prosecution, a Guernsey Border Agency spokesperson said: ‘We take these investigations incredibly seriously, as the vast majority of the community would expect us to. It’s not acceptable, we have to all be responsible and follow the rules to protect everyone.

‘Rest assured we will continue to investigate claims of breaches and report people for the court to deal with if breaches are found.’