Over 14,000 Brits could appeal lockdown fines after Boris defended Cummings

Thousands of Brits could start appealing their lockdown fines after Boris Johnson said Dominic Cummings’ journey to Durham was ‘responsible and legal’.

The Prime Minister’s senior aide has been at the centre of a media storm after it emerged he had travelled more than 250 miles across the country at the end of March. He is also accused of visiting Barnard Castle on April 12 and returning to Durham on April 19, just five days after he travelled back to London.

Mr Cummings’ first trip, the only one confirmed by Downing Street, took place within days of new coronavirus legislation across England. The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 dictates that no person can leave their home without a ‘reasonable excuse’.

Under lockdown restrictions at the time, this included exercising once a day close to home, going shopping for food or going to a job as a key worker. Anyone caught breaking the restrictions could be fined or arrested by police.

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As of May 11, more than 14,000 people have been convicted and fined for breaching lockdown regulations in England and Wales. Now there could be a dramatic rise in the number of appeals after Johnson said Mr Cummings had been following the ‘instincts of every father and parent’ by driving to Durham.

Responding to journalists on Sunday, the PM continued: ‘Yes it did involve travel but I have to say looking at the situation, any father any parent would frankly understand what he did. I certainly do, and I spent a lot of time talking to him about it today.’

On Saturday, Suella Braverman, the Attorney General, stated that Downing Street had ‘clarified the situation’ in whether Mr Cummings acted legally or not. She wrote on Twitter: ‘Protecting one’s family is what any good parent does.’

Her comments have prompted questions over whether it could now be classed as ‘fine’ to break the law, so long as one is operating under the intention of being a ‘good parent’. Other Twitter users described her words as a ‘dangerous message’ and asked if they could be relied upon as ‘official legal advice’.

Today officers at Durham Constabulary were urged by a police chief to investigate and ‘establish the facts’ surround the Cummings case and confirm whether there was any legal wrongdoing.

Steve White, acting Durham police and crime commissioner, said: ‘It is vital that the Force can show it has the interests of the people of County Durham and Darlington at its heart, so that the model of policing by consent, independent of government but answerable to the law, is maintained.

‘It will be for the Chief Constable to determine the operational response to this request and I am confident that with the resources at its disposal, the Force can show proportionality and fairness in what has become a major issue of public interest and trust.’

Anyone wishing to appeal a lockdown fine can challenge the decision at a magistrates’ court. A hearing would then likely take place, with the magistrate listening to why the fine was issued and why the person who received it feels it was not justified.

Coronavirus fines typically start at £100, but can be reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. If a person continues to repeat offend, the fine will double until a maximum of £3,200 is reached.

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