Coronavirus: Three arrests and dozens of fines issued by police in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire

The figures have been obtained by the Peterborough Telegraph through a Freedom of Information request.

Of the three people arrested, two were bailed and one was “reported for process”.

The PT’s FOI asked: “Please can I find out any arrests, fines or any other punishments handed out by Cambridgeshire police relating to the coronavirus, for instance breaking social gathering rules.

“For each incident, I would also like to find out what the punishment was, where it was handed out and what the reason for it was.”

The FOI response did not reveal where the arrests were made in the county but said they were related to events, gatherings and premises.

It also did not state how many fines there had been, but a police spokeswoman said so far there have been 59, with approximately eight handed out in Peterborough.

Under new legislation brought in during the crisis, police can hand out fines of £60 to people breaching social distancing rules such as leaving home ‘without reasonable excuse’ and being in a public gathering of more than two people.

The fines are reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days, but repeat offenders can be fined up to a maximum of £960.

Serious breaches have also led to arrests and even prison sentences.