Police 'inundated with calls over coronavirus rule of six breaches'
Police are said to have been inundated with calls from members of the public reporting their neighbours for "rule of six" breaches.
Any social gathering of more than six people in England is against the law , with people facing fines of up to £3,200 if they do not abide by the new measure, which applies to both indoor and outdoor settings.
Extra officers are having to man the 101 reporting line due to the high volume of call, The Times reports.
The number of fines handed out for breaches of the regulations is also understood to be increasing. The organisers of illegal raves have even been given the maximum fine of £10,000 already.
A senior officer told the Times that there are police are worried that coronavirus calls are blocking the public from reporting more serious crimes.
“There are discussions about how the 101 system can cope, and whether increased resources need to be looked at across the board", they said.
"We don’t want a situation where people calling about Covid-19 breaches are blocking others from getting through about other serious crimes.”
While the police have expressed concerns about the system, senior government figures have encouraged the public to tell on their neighbours.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Home Secretary Priti Patel have both publicly stated that they would report rule-breakers to the authorities.
However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he favours people raising the issue with their friends and neighbours first, adding:”I have never much been in favour of sneak culture, myself.”
As well as fines for breaching the rule of six, anyone in England who refuses an order to self-isolate could face a fine of up to £1,000, increasing up to £10,000 for repeat offenders.
It comes as pubs, bars and restaurants in England will be ordered to close by 10pm each night from Thursday under tough restrictions set to be announced by Mr Johnson in a bid to curb the rapid rise in coronavirus cases. The hospitality sector will also be restricted to table service only.
On Tuesday morning, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said there was going to be a “shift in emphasis” on the Government’s advice about working from home , telling Sky News: “If it is possible for people to work from home then we would encourage them to do so.”
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