Couple stopped by police for delivering Christmas presents from Essex to Wales

30 November 2020, 10:21

An Essex couple were caught breaking coronavirus rules for bringing Christmas gifts to Cardiff for their family.

A couple from Essex were kicked out of Wales for trying to deliver Christmas presents to their family.

Police officers in Wales were recently granted new powers to stop people entering the country, after concerns groups from locked-down areas of the UK were travelling to Cardiff city.

While there are currently no travel restrictions in place within Wales, but people in England are not allowed to cross the border without a ‘reasonable excuse’.

According to the Welsh government, this includes work and ‘compassionate grounds’.

And in the first 24 hours of the police rules coming into place, the South Wales service revealed over 100 vehicles had been stopped during random checks in the Welsh capital.

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While 12 people were given fines for breaking COVID rules, 15 others were asked to leave the city.

Among these, the couple from Essex told officers they had driven almost 200 miles to drop presents off with family living in the capital.

It hasn’t been confirmed whether the pair received any punishment.

A group of nine were also caught going to visit friends at university, but they were turned away by officers.

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Those caught breaking the rules can be fined £60 for a first offence, with the price increasing to £120 for a second offence and continuing to double for repeated offences.

Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Chief Superintendent Wendy Gunney said: "I would like to thank the vast majority of people who are enjoying their weekend with caution and within the confines of the existing regulations, but those not adhering to the rules are continuing to put others at increased risk.

"The measures which are in place are in place for a reason. Our checks will continue throughout the weekend, and anybody blatantly flouting the rules, which have been made very clear, face being fined."

It comes after Wales' 'firebreak' lockdown ended on November 9, which meant that pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops could reopen.

However, some businesses in Cardiff were forced to close early last weekend because of large crowds in the area.

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