156 COVID penalty notices issued by PSNI in Derry and Strabane

Over a hundred and fifty penalty notices were issued by the PSNI in Derry and Strabane as the force dealt with breaches of the COVID-19 regulations.
By Kevin Mullan
Published 28th Apr 2020, 06:00 BST

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said 114 people were handed Community Resolution Notices while a further 52 people were given Penalty Notices for Disorder between March 30 and April 24.

“The objective of the Police Service during this period has always been and remains to help our health service colleagues slow the spread of the virus and keep people safe.

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“We will continue to engage with people and explain what we need them to do and encourage them to follow the restrictions that are in place. Enforcement is always a last resort. The vast majority of people spoken to by Police Officers have cooperated well and a relatively small number of penalty notices have been issued to date,” said the Assistant Chief Constable.

Five hundred and seventy CRNs and 358PNDs were handed out across the north during the four week period.

CRNs are used by the PSNI to deal with minor offences.

As a means of disposal it is designed to “deliver effective and proportionate criminal justice outcomes, which meet the needs and expectations of victims and communities, whilst maintaining accountability”. PNDs were introduced in the north in 2012 as a result of the Justice Act (NI) 2011 and are aimed as a financial deterrent for offences which cause a public nuisance.