Cummings DID breach lockdown rules say police

[runrunrunrunt]

But will he be removed?

Or not

Considering a poster yesterday got warned and threatened with a fine for letting her kid play in a sandpit in a deserted park early in the morning..... the police are trying really hard to walk a very difficult line here. If Twattings was a less Very Special Person he'd have had his arse handed to him if he'd been reported.

I don't care what happens to him, what he did or what he said or what he thinks or feels. Couldn't care less. What I do care about is that the Prime Minister not only allowed a public figure to stick two fingers up at the electorate, but then allowed this circus to strip all good will, public trust, respect, integrity and even any kind of basic sense of responsibility out of him and his government. He could not have damaged himself or this country more in the truly stupid way he has chosen to handle this, or the fully foreseeable mess he's allowed to spread everywhere, and it's apparent from all this that both him and the other idiot involved haven't enough brains between them to run a bloody lemonade stand, and somehow they're running the country during an international crisis.

That's the bit I really mind about.

Many thanks to the police for taking the time to explain to DC (and our PM) how the lockdown rules work. Especially as the police are busy enough dealing with blooming covidiots daytripping, driving recklessly and such like!

This matter isn’t closed quite yet though, we still await EmporerPalpatine’s Dom’s apology (which a reasonable person might have thought he could have squeezed into his televised address to the nation broadcast from his back garden on Monday).

This is going to run and run, Suella Braverman is next in the firing line.

Had he apologized as soon as he was reported as being spotted in Barnard Castle and had explained he was cheering his wife up on her birthday after a very stressful few weeks/illnesses/son in hospital/Boris ill/uncle died etc etc and emphasized they tried to keep isolated it would have all been long forgotten. It is the lies/treating the public as total idiots for suggesting the eye sight test drive that is unacceptable and unforgivable to many of the public. The only way the government can get on and focus on the huge task to prevent a second wave now is for him to go or it will provide an ongoing distraction regardless of any of our personal opinions on the rights or wrongs of the situation. It is too serious a risk to lives to have this distraction and too many people are not going to forgive for it to go away quickly. I don't see any other option for the good or the country regardless of our individual opinions.

This could work in reverse if we want fairness and the same treatment for everybody no matter what their position is in life
Then if a factory worker judge nurse or dustbin man has a minor breach then they know that they will lose their job

I really don’t like DC, and I hate the way the Tory party have lied and undermines the health care message to protect this one man. I would ultimately love to see him go.
However I might be able to move on from this if he.
a. Admitted he broke the rules.
b. Apologised to the nation
c. Paid a fine.

That in my mind would be a fair outcome to this all.

If they wanted to draw a line under it, an apology and fine payment would have been enough for me at the weekend. However, by lying, deflecting and dissembling they have shredded their own public health message during a pandemic.

We already have the world's highest death rate and we are about to come out of lock-down. It's not good.

Police fined two people for travelling from London to Durham on 8 April
Vikram Dodd Vikram Dodd
Durham police today said they fined two people for travelling hundreds of miles from London to their area during the coronavirus lockdown.

The news comes as a fresh statement from Durham police is expected as soon as today, following their examination of claims of sightings of Dominic Cummings in the Durham area, and whether lockdown rules had been broken.

A spokesperson for Durham police confirmed the fines were issued on 8 April against two people from different households who travelled together from London to Peterlee, in County Durham. That trip is about 260 miles and came just over a week after the prime minister’s key aide decided to drive with his wife and child from his London home to his parents’ farm, fearing being struck down by coronavirus.

The trip by Cummings has led to no action by police, and its revelation on Friday by the Guardian and Daily Mirror led to calls for Cummings’ resignation, but he has maintained his actions were lawful and not in breach of the lockdown.

Cummings also admitted to a trip on 12 April to a beauty spot, Barnard Castle, with his wife and child. He said on Monday he had been testing his eyesight and fitness to drive after being struck down by the virus.

Durham police say since the original news stories, they have received further claims and complaints from the public and are examining that information.

Cummings said he travelled to ensure childcare in case he and his wife were struck down by the virus, and claims an exemption to the stay at home order issued by his boss, the prime minister, allowed him to make the trip. Many disagree and have called for his resignation. The new statement from Durham police is eagerly awaited.

All that needs to happen is an apology and an acknowledgement that DC broke the lockdown rules, even if a minor breach. It does sound as if there were quite a few wild allegations that weren’t true, which added to the public anger.

Personally, I do think there should be an apology, though I don’t think there will be.

The comment about it being about parental instinct annoyed me as my instinct was to isolate when I had symptoms not subject my DDs to a long car journey.

It doesn’t change much for me, as I had no time for Cummings before this anyway, and Boris’s refusal to sack him doesn’t surprise me now. But I have bigger concerns, with my DD1 going back to school next week.

Durham Constabulary have had a Q and A session on their fb page

Check out the comments.

They are doing another one tomorrow. 2pm

Given he wrote the rules. He knew he was doing something he shouldnt have. He knew he would get turned round.

So why isn't he admitting that?

I mean ffs, what if his eye sight wasn't OK?

A car crash, emergency services needed, memories of the public, hurt or worse. His wife and child hurt or worse.

His journey wasn't essential. It was also risky. Why is he refusing to apologise?

He should be done for dangerous driving if he was driving while his eyesight was compromised.

No persecuting of Corbyn and his family then . Yes I have seen the photos THEY were not social distancing either .
Forget though , its a labour lair in here mostly and boy it shows.
Why do you call yourselves Socialists when, in fact, you are Marxist ??!

Yes, but it was only a little breach, so it apparently doesn't count! 😬

@WhentheRabbitsWentWild

I would like to see both of them held accountable. I don't care what party anyone is from! That said, Cummings is worse as he knowingly had the virus, risked spreading it to a hospital in another area and deliberately took a planned excursion where he stopped twice for recreation. And, as he was instrumental in the creation of the policy, then he flipping well should be held accountable. Corbyn's actions were more momentary/fleeting/less planned,but idiotic. I mean, fancy actually posing for a photo of yourself breaching guidance!

@FourPlasticRings

“Might” isn’t relevant because of the legal context in which it is used. Police never decide definitely yes or no to if an offence has been committed (that’s for a court), and that is the reason for the wording, as opposed to any equivocation as to if they think it likely an offence was committed.

The fact they would have turned him back tells us in their opinion he committed an offence as they have no power to do so unless they consider an offence has been committed.

People are seizing on “might” as though it means the police don’t really have a view as to if he did or he didn’t, and it’s an incorrect reading of the Statement.

David Allen Green explains it here:

twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1265987139327725573?s=21

He only set the rules for the country and did the opposite for himself

What's the issue?

I'm being sarcastic

"Might” isn’t relevant because of the legal context in which it is used. Police never decide definitely yes or no to if an offence has been committed (that’s for a court), and that is the reason for the wording, as opposed to any equivocation as to if they think it likely an offence was committed.

Police issue the fines. They decide. They don't get a decision from court. The matter doesn't go to court. They issue the fine direct as is the case for all Fixed Penalty Notices.

@SummerHouse

The police issue the fine but that is only on the basis they reasonably believe someone to have committed an offence, see reg 10(1). They have no power to determine that someone has in fact committed an offence.

Once the FPN is issued, paying the fine means that they can’t later be convicted of the offence. However being issued with a fine does not in and of itself mean someone is guilty of an offence. Hence the police can only say “might”.

Thank you Rooster that makes sense.

Yes, what rooster has said is correct. The police are evidently of the view that the Barnard Castle trip did breach the regulations. I see why the use of 'might' is confusing to non-legal people, but nonetheless if you're interpreting it as meaning they're not actually sure, you're interpreting it wrong.

This could work in reverse if we want fairness and the same treatment for everybody no matter what their position is in life
Then if a factory worker judge nurse or dustbin man has a minor breach then they know that they will lose their job
rosie1959

A factory worker or nurse wouldn't lose their job because they're not the ones making the rules. He is supposed to be part of the government telling us what we have to do and then he's not doing it himself.

Forget though , its a labour lair in here mostly and boy it shows

Not labour, happy as fucking larry to have anyone breaching lockdown to Be admonished (dont think people need to lose their jobs over it)

This is a thread about the current government’s handling of This they could have made is all go away with an Apology but they didnt

It must be very very hard living with such rigid thinking and thats the best fucking argument you have is it...oh a labour politician did it as well

Thats the argument of 10 year olds

whentherabbitwentwild

Actually im sorry

I stand by what i said but rereading it it sounds a bit harsh, I’m not annoyed with you, I’m annoyed with all the posts ive seen saying similar...or exactly the same

I’m only a bit sorry,...but I’m more sorry than cummings put it that way