Hampshire police break up house party where attendees claim they'd never heard of Covid-19 pandemic

Officers attended an home following several reports of a party and a suspected lockdown breach in Guernsey Close at 8.33pm last night.

Posting to social media, a Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: ‘The occupants were spoken to and claimed to be unaware of the global pandemic, as they never watch the news.’

The post included the hashtag ‘there are no words’ to describe the party-goers’ claim.

The police’s social media post has attracted more than a thousand comments, with many users unable to believe anyone could be ignorant of a pandemic that has left the entire country in lockdown and killed more than 88,000 people.

One user wrote: ‘I haven't had a TV since December 2019 but still know there's a crisis on.’

An investigation is underway with a view to reporting the individuals involved for summons for a fine, according to a spokesman from Hampshire Constabulary.

Under Covid-19 safety laws police have the power to issue fixed penalty notices of £200 to first-time offenders, with this sum rising up to £10,000 for holding or being involved in the holding of an unlawful gathering.

Last year, Hampshire police handed out more than 560 fines for Covid-19 law breaches across the county.

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