Sheffield student fined for breaking lockdown rules after travelling to Coventry to ‘give a friend a lift'

Officers were on patrol in Coventry city centre at 10.15am on April 17, when they pulled over a car being driven erratically.

Checks on the car showed it was registered to an address in Sheffield.

The driver admitted driving down the M1 from Sheffield to collect a friend – and had been planning on taking the passenger to Heathrow Airport to save him the taxi money.

The student was handed an on-the-spot fine, advised about his behaviour during the health crisis, and told to return home.

Coventry Police Sergeant Darren Walden, said: “It’s quite astonishing someone would plan a 360-mile round trip the day after the government extended the national stay-at-home lockdown instructions.

“The driver came down to the city with his flatmate and was in the process of picking up a friend who had a flight booked from Heathrow.

“The excuse the driver gave was that he wanted to save his friend paying for a taxi – and felt he was OK making the journey as he was wearing a mask.

“Most people we encounter are adhering to the lockdown rules and only heading out for food or medicine essentials, exercise or work that can’t be done at home.

“Our officers are continuing to instruct people to return home if they are found flouting the government’s order.

“But we will take enforcement action, and issue fines, if we believe it is necessary.”