Police attending a barbecue on Sincil Bank, Lincoln at the beginning of lockdown
Lincolnshire Police have now handed out more than £16,000 in fines to lockdown offenders.
Police bosses said 206 fines have been handed out to those who breached coronavirus regulations brought in by the government.
Fines were set at £60, doubling with each offence, however rose to £100 for a first time offence from Wednesday, May 13, going up to a maximum of £3,200.
Under the old figures, the total fines handed out came to at least £12,360, if offenders did not pay their tickets within 14 days.
Deputy Chief Constable Jason Harwin said the majority of people continued to comply with the rules and that he felt that would continue in the face of the rules being relaxed by government this week.
“We’ve got to recognise the majority of the public will follow the advice.
“Some members of the communities are also clearly concerned the restrictions are being removed, or eased, too early.
“I think there will be a bit of a caution and fear factor by some so they’ll want to continue staying at home where they can.”
One man has been fined six times by the police so far – a total of more than £1,920.
Mr Harwin said alternative methods were being explored such as anti-social legislation, but that this had not yet taken place.
He said there would be some challenges ahead, including weekends and bank holidays, but that he hoped the situation where the majority were complying would continue.
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A woman who illegally claimed £16,500 in benefits after failing to tell the authorities that her husband was working has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Marie Feetham, 45, of Old Gallamore Lane, Market Rasen, claimed Employment and Support Allowance when she was unable to work due to a “catastrophic” back injury.
But Noel Philo, prosecuting, said that she was not entitled to the money because of the income her husband was receiving from his job.
He told the court that when Feetham applied for ESA filling in the application form saying that her husband had no income.
“It is clear she had catastrophic back trouble in 2013 and by October 31, 2013 she was in a position where she was claiming Employment and Support Allowance.
“It is an income-based allowance. She would have been entitled to that subject to herself and any member of her family not having any income.
“It is quite clear that her husband was self-employed and later he worked for an employer.
“She said in several places in a meticulously prepared application form that he had no income. That was clearly false and dishonest from the outset.”
Over a period of four years Feetham received £16,500 in benefit she was not entitled to before the fraud came to light.
Marie Feetham admitted a charge of benefit fraud. She was given a 10 month jail sentence suspended for two years with a three month electronically monitored night-time curfew.
A hearing to consider confiscation of her available assets was adjourned to May.
Judge John Pini QC told her: “You knew this claim when you made it was false. It was persisted with for four to five years.
“It was dishonest from the outset. The total loss to the taxpayer is about £16,500.”
Stuart Lody, in mitigation, said that Feetham, who had no previous convictions, initially worked for Lloyds Bank and later for a travel agent but when that firm ceased trading the only job she could get was working for an agricultural supplies firm.
“It involved lifting 25kg bags of animal feed. At the age of 38 she suffered a catastrophic back injury. She underwent an emergency operation on her spine.
“She was subjected to a huge amount of physical pain. Her life effectively fell apart.
“She was unable to go back to work and in constant physical pain. She made a claim for benefit and was asked to notify any change of circumstances and she didn’t.
“She has ended up before the court because of a truly horrible set of circumstances.”
Over 1,400 rapid COVID tests have been carried out at the mass testing centre at Lincoln City’s LNER Stadium — and there were more positive results than local health bosses expected in the first eight days.
As of Monday, January 18, 1,420 tests have been carried out with 31 positive results.
This is a positivity rate of 2.18% and local health bosses were previously expecting between 0.5-1% by the end of the initial two-week cycle.
Inside the rapid coronavirus testing centre at Lincoln City’s LNER Stadium. | Photo: Stuart Wilde for COLC
Registering for your test on arrival. | Photo: Stuart Wilde for COLC
Andy Fox, Lincolnshire County Council’s consultant in public health, said 674 tests had been done at three community testing centres in the county on Sunday, with a total of seven positive results (around 1%).
This comes after Lincolnshire County Council’s director of public health Professor Derek Ward said last week that his team was in conversation with the government about “keeping one or two sites” in both Lincoln and Boston, as well as potentially opening further laboratory testing elsewhere in the county.
A member of staff will talk you through the test and give prompts when needed. | Photo: Stuart Wilde for COLC
Staff working at the rapid testing centre in Lincoln. | Photo: Stuart Wilde for COLC
On Saturday, January 16 the testing centre at the LNER Stadium was temporarily closed due to minor flooding, but it was soon back open again. Mr Fox said there was no concern over any impact of the flooding.
People can continue to just turn up at the testing centre on Sincil Bank, which opens 8am to 8pm Monday to Sunday, until January 25.
After this date, the testing centre will move to St Swithin’s community centre on Croft Street, so those who live in the Monks Road area of the city can attend on a walk-in basis from January 25 to February 7 (also open daily 8am to 8pm).
Before departing the centre you will be given a ‘What happens next’ leaflet. | Photo: Stuart Wilde for COLC
The rapid turnout tests are supplied by NHS Test and Trace and deliver results within an hour via text message and/or email.
There is no need to book and you will be guided through the process from when you first arrive at the site.
Meanwhile, two further sites opened in Boston from Monday, January 18 at the Peter Paine Performance Centre on Rosebery Avenue and Tollfield Campus Haven High on Tollfield Road.
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