Man who breached ‘covid’ regulation ‘didn’t know what a bubble was’

Kevin Reilly, of Broadway Avenue, Ballymena, was fined £250 by District Judge Nigel Broderick who said: “Cold comfort to the rest of us of who get Covid off him.”

The defence solicitor accepted “ignorance of the law is no defence” but said the defendant had entered a plea of guilty at the earliest opportunity.

A prosecution lawyer said police had attended the property around 3am on January 15 this year to remove a “disorderly female”.

The court heard police entered the property with the permission of the occupier who wished to have the female removed.

Police saw “two females as well as the home owner gathering in breach of covid restrictions”.

After removing the ‘disorderly’ woman police returned to the address “to establish if the other two occupants were in a ‘bubble’. They stated that they weren’t.”

The prosecutor said officers sought advice from an inspector and those present were then warned in relation to the covid regulations.