Lincoln man charged after West Yorkshire street party

A 27-year-old man from Lincoln was charged after police attended reports of a street party in West Yorkshire over the weekend.

West Yorkshire Police attended Wepener Mount, Harehills during the afternoon of Saturday, August 29 and dispersed those in attendance.

One male, who was DJing at the party, was arrested and fined. Five other people at the party were also fined.

Police confirmed on Sunday that a 27-year-old man from Lincoln has been charged with causing a public nuisance after officers dispersed Saturday’s gathering.

He is due to appear in court on October 28.

Chris Bowen, Superintendent at West Yorkshire Police, said: “We hope people will recognise the ongoing risks of holding or taking part in events such as this, but where intervention is needed, we will fine people and make arrests where necessary.”

This comes since Friday when police in England have been able to fine organisers of illegal gatherings of more than 30 people – such as raves – up to £10,000.

West Yorkshire Police also shut down a music event in Leeds on Sunday following reports that it was in breach of coronavirus restrictions.

Officers attended a premise on Kitson Road at around 5.30pm on August 30 and established that those in attendance were not complying with government guidelines. The event was shut down and the area was cleared.

Police also seized what is believed to be around £20,000 of music equipment from an address in the Chapeltown area of Leeds. It was found in a garden and was suspected of being kept for an unlicensed music event.

West Yorkshire Police also said eight people were fined £10,000 after officers attended several parties across Headingly and Burley on Saturday and into the early hours of Sunday morning.

At a party on Grimthorpe Place in Headingley four people were fined £10,000 for their role in organising the event. Fifteen people who attended the party were fined £100 for breaching government restrictions and one man was arrested for drunk and disorderly behaviour.

On Sunday morning, police were called to a report of a house party on Winston Mount in Headingley, where a man was fined £10,000 and was reported for summons.

Officers also broke up a party on Harold Place in Burley and the homeowner was reported and fined for breaching COVID-19 regulations, alongside two DJs, who were fined £10,000 and reported for summons, as well as having their equipment seized.

Meanwhile, Norfolk Constabulary said that five people were arrested and fined for attending an unlicensed music event in Thetford at the weekend.

More than 100 officers were involved in a significant operation to disrupt the event, which had attracted in excess of 500 people and started in the forest on Saturday night.

Police also attended events in Essex and the West Midlands, while Piers Corbyn, the brother of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, was given a fine for holding an anti-lockdown protest in Trafalgar Square in central London on Saturday.

According to BBC, Met Police issued a £10,000 fine to Piers Corbyn for holding an illegal gathering. He confirmed the fine and his arrest to the PA News agency, saying: “We’re going to refuse to pay and appeal the process.”