FIVE ENNISKILLEN men have been charged with Covid breaches following a house party held during lockdown in December 2020.
Rhys Beresford (22) of Ashbourne Manor, Rhys Cunningham (21) of Ross Close, Paul Somers (28) of Drumbeg, and Kalem Greene (24) of Braeside Park, were each fined £150 at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday after pleading guilty to breaching coronavirus regulations on December 13, 2020.
Cunningham, Somers and Greene were also fined a further £150 for obstructing a person carrying out a function under the Health Protection Regulations, having given police false personal details on the date in question.
A fifth man, Rhys Owens (20) of Braeside Park in Enniskillen is also charged with breaching Covid regulations and obstructing a person carrying out a function under the Health Protection Regulation, but was not dealt with on Monday and had his case adjourned to allow his solicitor time to take his instructions.
The court heard that at around 2.20am on Sunday, December 13, 2020 police were called to reports of a house party in Enniskillen. When officers arrived there were 12 people from nine different households inside the house, in breach of the Covid regulations at that time.
A number of those present initially false personal details to the officers, but were later identified and their names were recorded.
Defence solicitor Michelle McVeigh, representing Beresford, Cunningham and Somers, said her clients had pointed to the “actions of leaders” when it came to following Covid rules at the time, in what was likely a reference to the current controversy over parties at 10 Downing Street which took place around the same time but have come to light in recent weeks.
District Judge Steven Keown said it was “hard to make that case” when the men had breached the rules in 2020. Ms McVeigh said her three clients had been socialising on the night in question, and noted they had not come to police attention for breaches since.
With regard Greene, who was represented by defence solicitor Garry Smyth, Judge Keown said the offence and his criminal record was “suggestive of someone who needs to grow up”, but noted he had a gap in his offending which he hope suggested he was growing up.
Beresford was fined £150, while Cunningham, Somers and Owens were each fined a total of £300. Owens’ case was adjourned until February 1.
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