Two Preston men hit with hefty fines for breaching Covid 'stay at home' restrictions with a 600-mile round trip

The pair were accused of making a 600-mile round trip to Dorset when the Government's "stay at home" rule was still in force.

Vamsi Krishna, 25, and Jaipal Reddy Kandala, 27, both of Hall Street in Ashton, were alleged to have been in the picturesque village of Winfrith Newburgh between Dorchester and Wareham on March 19.

They were each given £1,300 in fines and costs. The "stay at home" rule was not lifted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson until 10 days later.

Weymouth Magistrates Court heard the case against both men behind closed doors under the single justice procedure.

Neither defendant attended the hearing, nor registered a plea to the allegation which was brought under the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) Regulations 2020 which put a brake on travel in England at the time.

They were accused of leaving the place where they were living in Lancashire and being in Dorset "without reasonable excuse."

A magistrate hearing the case found it proved in their absence and fined both men £1,100, each with court costs of £90 and a surcharge of £110.

A spokesperson for the court confirmed to the Post that the two cases had been dealt with behind closed doors.

The same court also handed out identical fines to a man and woman found guilty in their absence of attending a gathering in a flat at Poole a month earlier.

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