Coronavirus in Hampshire: Leigh Park killer's sister Hayley Batchelor among dozens fined for Covid lockdown breaches

Haley Batchelor, 35, washed helped Kevin Bachelor try and get away with the murder of George Allison, 21, in May 2020 in Leigh Park.

She was jailed for three years this month at Winchester Crown Court. Her brother was handed life with an 18-year minimum term.

But last week she was handed a £1,760 fine with a £176 surcharge and £85 costs for flouting Covid laws earlier this year.

Batchelor, of Highwood Lawn, Leigh Park, was a passenger in a Mazda 3 when PC Michael Cork stopped her at 5.20pm on February 8 – while she was awaiting trial.

PC Cork quizzed Batchelor and the Swindon-based driver, another woman, about why they were out. They said they were off to a friend's house for dinner.

In prosecution papers presented to a lone magistrate, PC Cork said: 'I pointed out to them both that we were in a national lockdown and this was not acceptable behaviour.'

The driver said she knew about the lockdown and would pay the £200 fixed-penalty notice.

But he added: 'Batchelor stated she didn’t realise it was a lockdown which I know to be false because I had engaged with her a few weeks prior.’

Both women were reported for Covid offences and told to go home. Batchelor was convicted by a magistrate sitting in a closed court last week.

KFC trip cost young trio £5,417

In a separate incident three teenagers were ordered to pay £5,417 between them after being caught together in a Skoda Fabia.

Officers spotted them leaving a ‘secluded car park’ known as a ‘hotspot for people to use illegal drugs’ in Longfield Avenue, Fareham.

PC Tyler Dutson stopped and approached the car, smelling cannabis at 6.20pm on January 20 and found the trio inside.

Corcoran said they were from different households, lived nearby and had gone to a hardware shop to buy a new tool and then to KFC for some food.

Two occupants were dealt with for possession of cannabis, having carried out a search when he spotted paraphernalia in the car.

PC Dutson said he would normally first engage, explain and then encourage people to comply with Covid laws.

But issued fixed penalty notices instead and added: ‘I deemed their actions to have been a blatant breach of the rules and regulations that are in place to protect the vulnerable and prevent the spread of the virus.’

Robert Corcoran, 21, of The Close Bellfield, Titchfield, Richard Fazackarley, 18, of Longfield Avenue, Fareham, and George Fewings, 18, of Bellfield, Titchfield, were each convicted of being at a gathering of more than two people.

Corcoran and Fewings were each fined £1,760 with a £176 surcharge.

Fazackarley was fined £1,173 with a £117 surcharge. All three must pay £85 in costs.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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