Are covid fines for travelling out of your area legally enforceable in court?

Thrugelmir

dee100 said:

I saw over 50 people today who likely travelled further then that to get to my town..

Were they observant of the distance rules etc?  

Andy_L

Providing you make it clear to the court that you are a "Freeman on the land" then no fine can be enforced against you by the court 

[Deleted User]

dee100 said:

Someone told me that if I did not pay the fine, it will be thrown out of court. He said not one person has been successfully fined in court. However, I cannot find any searches that verify this. Do you know where I can find out that what he said is true?
I see holiday makers here from other countries!!

I am not allowed to leave my town whilst tourists are coming to UK  and freely travelling around the UK!!

May I paraphrase as follows :

'I've been done for ignoring covid rules, can I blame that on immigrants? "

Is that a fair assessment? 

AntoMac

dee100 said:

I want to travel 11.3 miles to nearest small city. because I like to get away from my tiny town
I saw over 50 people today who likely travelled further then that to get to my town..
will stop and ask more people tomorrow. A couple said they were from elsewhere in the county, how far, I don't know...

I’m travelling more than 11.3 miles today to see mother in law for the first time in ages, following the March 29 rule changes. We will be meeting outside within the rule of 6.
If the couple you spoke to were from elsewhere in the county that should be OK. Counties vary greatly in size of course e.g.  Rutland is tiny compared to Yorkshire. I’ll actually be going into the next county but that’s allowed now. 

As long as you stay within the rules I can’t see how you would be stopped and fined for travelling that distance. 

Pollycat

dee100 said:

I want to travel 11.3 miles to nearest small city. because I like to get away from my tiny town
I saw over 50 people today who likely travelled further then that to get to my town..
will stop and ask more people tomorrow. A couple said they were from elsewhere in the county, how far, I don't know...

If I was out in the streets and some random stranger came up to me and asked where I was from or how far I'd travelled to be where I was, they'd get short shrift from me.

If said stranger said 'hello', I'd respond in kind.

That stranger may then post on a public forum guessing that I'd travelled further than 11.3 miles to be in the place where he/she lives.

MattMattMattUK

dee100 said:

I want to travel 11.3 miles to nearest small city. because I like to get away from my tiny town
I saw over 50 people today who likely travelled further then that to get to my town..
will stop and ask more people tomorrow. A couple said they were from elsewhere in the county, how far, I don't know...

Under the guidance that would probably be deemed not local, you do not need to make the journey and there is no rational reason to make the journey. The fact that others are also unable to follow the rules does not excuse you from doing the same.

silvercar

Here is the law, as opposed to the guidance.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/364/contents/made
Anyone find the requirement to stay local?

cymruchris

dee100 said:

I want to travel 11.3 miles to nearest small city. because I like to get away from my tiny town
I saw over 50 people today who likely travelled further then that to get to my town..
will stop and ask more people tomorrow. A couple said they were from elsewhere in the county, how far, I don't know...

I'd rather be keeping clear of people no matter where they were from - and looking after myself - rather than giving people I didn't recognise the Spanish inquisition as to why they were there. There may be genuine reasons people travel - and that's for law enforcement to deal with - not some random stranger going around with a notebook calculating people's mileages.

Batesy1976

Beardybaldy said:

dee100 said:

Someone told me that if I did not pay the fine, it will be thrown out of court. He said not one person has been successfully fined in court. However, I cannot find any searches that verify this. Do you know where I can find out that what he said is true?
I see holiday makers here from other countries!!

I am not allowed to leave my town whilst tourists are coming to UK  and freely travelling around the UK!!

May I paraphrase as follows :

'I've been done for ignoring covid rules, can I blame that on immigrants? "

Is that a fair assessment? 

No, it isn't.  Tourists are not immigrants.

lisyloo

dee100 said:

Someone told me that if I did not pay the fine, it will be thrown out of court. He said not one person has been successfully fined in court. However, I cannot find any searches that verify this. Do you know where I can find out that what he said is true?
I see holiday makers here from other countries!!

I am not allowed to leave my town whilst tourists are coming to UK  and freely travelling around the UK!!

People are also allowed to travel for various reasons.
they could be working, they could be moving out of a property, they could be visiting a dying or sick close relative, they might be viewing property.

personally I would not have an issue with that distance by private car if you need to travel to that specific place and would be polite and abide by any police requests. If they ask you to turn around and you do so then that should avoid a fine which is meant to be a last resort.
If you are worried is there anywhere closer that you can achieve the same objective?whether it’s mental or physical health.
it doesnt sound terribly relaxing if you are worried about a fine.

I have been far greater distances for work/moving and have exercised whilst there so might have looked like a tourist when the primary reason was a reasonable excuse.

if someone travels to a second home for a lawful reason, they are allowed to shop for food and exercise whilst they are there.

Similarly if they have visited a sick or dying relative then there is nothing stopping them getting essential food or exercise if the primary reason was a reasonable excuse.