A thread of heartbreaking court cases has gone viral after revealing the punishments people faced under Covid rules – in the light of allegations of government parties held throughout the pandemic against the Tories’ own rules.
The series of stories were revealed by Tristan Kirk, courts correspondent for the London Evening Standard.
Among them, a man was revealed to have organised an online fundraiser to help pay for his rent, as he struggled with mental health difficulties and economic problems during Covid restrictions.
“He protested that it hadn’t been a ‘party’ but still ended up being prosecuted,” Kirk said.
The man admitted he was struggling with paying the full amount of rent after his flatmate left.
He said “I tried to do an Instagram Live at our house to raise extra money for rent through donations on the app. A few people that we knew came to show support but no one was charged to gain access to the Live.
“I was on the brink of having a depression when I realised that I could’ve been made homeless not having the resources to find somewhere else suitable to leave due to my condition. Therefore I reached out to a couple of friends for support and tho come up with a plan to help me out.
“I am sorry if what I did looked like a party.”
Another man from Ilford was threatened with a £10,000 fine – more than his annual wage – for marking a friend’s death.
The fine was cut to £1,200 at court. “Police focused on the presence of a hog roast to say the gathering was pre-planned,” Kirk said.
A third man, aged 66, was accosted by police for meeting friends at his allotment to break up the loneliness – and ended up with a £100 fine.
Over recent months, it was revealed that government officials allegedly held many parties during Covid restrictions, including on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral last April.
Earlier this month, Boris Johnson apologised that he attended a party during the first Covid lockdown, but said he ‘thought was a work gathering’.
The latest revelations suggest Downing Street staff has held ‘wine-time Fridays’ throughout the pandemic and Boris Johnson regularly witnessed the events. Staff even purchased a £142 drinks fridge to keep bottles cool, The Mirror has reported.
Downing Street apologised to Buckingham Palace this week after it emerged that more parties were held in No10 the day before Prince Philip’s funeral last April.
Two Downing Street leaving parties were held on 16 April 2021 – one for Boris Johnson’s top spin doctor James Slack and the other one for the prime minister’s photographer.
Hours later, the Queen would sit grieving alone in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
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