Portsmouth man, 23, must pay £2,000 after 19 people caught at North End coronavirus lockdown party

Police slapped 19 party-goers with £800 fines after one person had to be rescued from the roof of an Airbnb rental home in St Chad’s Avenue, North End.

The lockdown-busting drinkers tried to flee police when officers arrived on January 30 this year, just days after fines had been increased from £200.

But the courts are still handling the fallout – with those who have not paid up being hit with larger fines.

A response PC who attended said party-goers were initially ‘refusing to let anyone into’ the house – with people drinking, dancing and smoking cannabis.

Among the revellers was Bradley Port, 23, of Westfield Road, Eastney. He was found guilty of being at a gathering of two or more people.

A lone Hampshire magistrate sitting behind closed doors, and deciding guilt and sentence on the case papers, imposed a £1,760 fine.

Port must also pay a £176 surcharge and £85 costs.

In her statement, PC Alexandra Burley said she was called at midnight to attend the ‘large party’ with her colleague.

‘I arrived at the address and there were a number of officers already there,’ she said.

‘I walked round to the back of the address and could see into the kitchen area of the property.

‘I could see there was at least 15 people in this part of the house.

‘They were all dancing to music, drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis.

‘All the persons inside were aware police were outside however they were refusing to let anyone into the address.

‘Eventually the door was opened and we went inside the address.

‘I took control of Port and put him into handcuffs as everyone in the address was trying to escape from police.’

She reported him for summons and searched him as she could ‘smell cannabis’ and ‘there was drug paraphernalia everywhere’.

Port did not have any drugs on him.

Airbnb banned the user who rented out the property, and police later issued video footage of the incident.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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