Hampshire man fined £1,760 after hiding in a wardrobe at lockdown gathering

Jason Goulding was caught at Middleton Mews in Station Road, Park Gate, at around 8.20pm on March 3 this year.

PC Joanne Jones arrived at the flat to hear ‘several voices within’ and knocked on the door before she heard ‘hushing sounds’.

Everyone was ordered out - with four people inside. The resident asked everyone to leave apart from her own wife, and Goulding emerged.

In a witness statement to court, PC Jones said: ‘I pointed out the fact that they clearly knew they were doing something wrong if they were hiding in the wardrobe. Jason was apologetic for hiding.’

Everyone was given fines but Goulding was taken to court for not paying.

The 30-year-old, of Hinkler Road, Southampton, was found guilty in his absence of being at a gathering of two or more people.

A lone magistrate sitting behind closed doors fined him £1,760 with a £176 surcharge and £90 costs.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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