OVER the last 12 months as guidelines around social distancing and parties have changed – people have had to play their part to stop the spread of coronavirus.

This has meant strict guidelines and new laws around gatherings, parties, weddings and even funerals.

And police and trading standards officers in Bolton have had their work cut out making sure people stick to the rules.

In January magistrates fined several people from Bolton hundreds of pounds after they attended gatherings in breach of coronavirus rules.

Five people from Bolton were among a slew of offenders from throughout Greater Manchester convicted of ignoring the rules last September and October.

Three of the people who attended gatherings in the Bolton did not turn up for their hearings and were convicted in their absence.

In court Aaron Davidson, aged 31, of Darley Street, Farnworth, admitted participating in an indoor gathering on September 12 and was fined £430 plus £128 in costs and charges.

The Bolton News:

Allan Adamson, aged 33, of New Lane, Bolton, was fined £120 plus £119 in costs and charges after pleading guilty participating in an indoor gathering at his home on September 1.

The cases against Michael Barlow, aged 33, of Sofa Street, Bolton, who participated in a gathering on October 7 in Bolton, Ali Isaak, aged 20, of Mere Walk, Bolton, who was at a household gathering on October 2 and Gail Hopwood, aged 38, of Hawthorne Road, Bolton, who was at a private gathering on October 7, were all proved was proved in their absence.

Each was fined £660 plus £151 in costs and charges.

The Bolton News: Bodycam footage of police as they enter the property in Deansgate where the party took place

In February police released bodycam footage of a party at a flat which around 50 people were reportedly fighting at in a blatant breach of coronavirus rules.

Officers received reports of a gathering of six people at a home in Beetham Tower in Deansgate but were unable to establish any evidence of this.

Further reports were made as the night progressed and at around 2.50am, a report was made of a fight involving 50 people.

The gathering at Beetham Tower was one of 74 incidents attended by Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) dedicated operation to significant Covid-19 breaches, Operation Ocean, over just one weekend.

In November a woman was fined £10,000 for breaching coronavirus lockdown rules.

Officers were called to a 40-strong house party at a home in Morris Green Lane, Deane.

Police attended at around 10.40pm and dispersed the gathering, before issuing a £10,000 fine to a woman thought to be the organiser.

The Bolton News:

In September fixed penalty notices were served after officers discovered a wedding celebration in the borough, where there were 100 people gathered – and a 60th birthday party.

Police broke up parties at NINE separate locations in one weekend in Bolton in October — handing out 28 fines in the process.

At one address in Farnworth on the Saturday, five separate households were found to be mixing. Seven fines were issued at this incident alone.

Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Environment Regulatory Services, Cllr Hilary Fairclough, said: “The increased enforcement activity and spot checks across the weekend demonstrate our zero-tolerance approach for any businesses disregarding the restrictions.”

The Bolton News:

In January this year extra police patrols were put on in Breightmet in the wake of disorder.

GMP Bolton North posted that they were patrolling the area due to trouble in the area.

It came as police cracked down on illegal gatherings breaking coronavirus restrictions.

And on one Saturday night in September officers broke up at least nine illegal gatherings across Greater Manchester – including two parties in Farnworth within an hour of each other.

At around 9.30pm, officers were called to an address in Farnworth, where they broke up the ongoing party and handed out a fine to the resident.

Around an hour later, at 10.30 pm, GMP announced that they'd broken up ANOTHER party at a house in Farnworth.

The Bolton News:

Neighbours claimed to have hear loud music blasting from the home for a few hours.

Officers sent everyone home and slapped the occupier with a fine.

And more than 100 fixed penalty notices were handed out across Greater Manchester over New Year's Eve - with 10 fines being handed out locally.

Police attended a large party on Lever Street in Radcliffe following complaints.

And this led to 10 fines being dished out to revellers.

The action was part of a wider crackdown on people defying Tier 4 coronavirus rules.

The Bolton News: PENALTIES: 10 were fined on Lever Street in Radcliffe for defying Tier 4 regulations over New Year's Eve

Earlier in February 2021, an illegal wedding with more than 40 guests was broken up by police at an award-winning Indian restaurant.

Police were called to Hot Chilli on Dunscar Business Park amid reports of a large gathering.

The function, off Blackburn Road, was quickly dispersed and 37 fixed penalty notices were issued to guests.

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