Peterborough woman ordered to pay more than £800 after breaching COVID rules

A Peterborough woman has been ordered to pay more than £800 at court after being found guilty of breaching COVID rules.

Alamara Soares Da Gama was charged with holding a gathering at her home in Cobbet Place, Peterborough on Saturday, March 27 2021.

At the time, Peterborough was subject to Tier 4 regulations, which meant people were told to stay at home, other than for ‘essential activities,’ such as food shopping, work, and education. People were told they should only spend time in their home or garden with people they lived with, or who were in their support bubble.

Soares Da Gama (31) was found guilty of having a gathering in a private dwelling, which consisted of two or more people, without a reasonable excuse. She had entered a not guilty plea.

She was fined £400, ordered to pay costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £40 when she was convicted at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court earlier this month.

COVID fines have come under scrutiny in the last month after Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were ordered to pay after breaking COVID rules at a birthday party for Mr Johnson. The level of fine received by the pair has not been revealed.

Leader of the Labour Party in Peterborough, cllr Shaz Nawaz, called on Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak to resign after the fines were handed out – however, North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara and leader of the city council, cllr Wayne Fitzgerald – both Conservatives – supported them.