Getting Sick
When Kathryn Crook’s daughter Charlotte discovered that she had contracted COVID-19, she was placed in home isolation. As with anyone who is sick, she expected to take some time to rest and recover until she was finally virus free. However, she never expected this massive shock was waiting for her.
Getting Sick
An Ominous Knock
Kathryn described that they were at home when all of a sudden, Greater Manchester Police showed up at their home in Middleton, unannounced. She could not understand what the police could want from them. She heard a loud knock on the door and decided to see what was going on.
An Ominous Knock
Wanted To Speak To Her Daughter
As she opened the door and realized that the police were looking for her daughter, Kathryn was absolutely shocked. They told her that they needed to check whether her child was self-isolating, and they demanded to speak to Charlotte directly.
Wanted To Speak To Her Daughter
Absolutely Terrified
Kathryn described that at this point, Charlotte had heard the commotion and come out from her room, petrified that the police was seemingly coming after her. She was absolutely terrified, and was confused as to why the police were demanding to speak to her and her only.
Absolutely Terrified
Confusion Continued
Kathryn told the Manchester Evening News: “They would not tell me and my husband why they wanted to speak to my daughter. I suggested again that she was only 12 and as her mother, I should be the one they should speak to. My daughter by this time was stood behind me crouching thinking she had done something wrong and was petrified.”
Confusion Continued
Unprofessional Behavior
Kathryn continued to share her story: “The female police officer who stood at our door then proceeded to shout through to my daughter to check she had been isolating. I spent Monday trying to find out why this had happened only to be told by Rochdale public health department that they had authorized this to happen.”
Unprofessional Behavior
Total Shock
Kathryn and her husband were absolutely shocked that this whole situation had taken place. They knew that they could not let this unnecessarily dramatic event pass without doing something about it. They decided it was best to involve her local politicians and let them know what had happened.
Total Shock
Contacting The Government
Kathryn decided to write to her MP, Chris Clarkson, and demanded that the incident be fully investigated. Luckily, he agreed. But unfortunately, the situation continued to grow worse. She had no idea what was waiting for them.
Contacting The Government
An Urgent Matter
Kathryn shared: “During Monday we also received a letter addressed to our daughter from Rochdale council stating that she must get in touch with them as a matter of urgency about her isolating. I called the phone line and they said it was standard practice, even though the leaflet read as if aimed at an adult. I was also told the person who had signed it no longer works there.”
An Urgent Matter
Total Confusion
Kathryn could not understand who would sign off on such behavior, particularly involving a child. Of course she understood that it was part of protocol to check that an infected person is properly isolating, but there was no reason to bring such intensity to the situation and terrify her daughter.
Total Confusion
Another Visit
As Kathryn was settling down from the whole ordeal, the next night, at about 9pm in the evening, she heard another knock on the door. She felt her heart sink, utterly confused as to what could be going on now. Who could possibly be at the door this time?
Another Visit
A Grim Realization
Kathryn shared: “Last night (Monday, June 12), we settled down and just after 9pm got a knock at the door. It was the police again, this time in a riot van and coming to ‘check’ again that my daughter was isolating. Me and my husband were so annoyed by this.”
A Grim Realization
Getting Support
Kathryn continued: “The neighbors had also seen all of this and came out to show their support for us. They could see what had happened and a riot van in the street is a bit much.”
Getting Support
A Bit Better
However, Kathryn admitted that this visit was quite different from the first. She said: “This time, however, the policeman was polite and was much more forthcoming than the two that had been the previous night. It was terribly upsetting again for my daughter and she had another meltdown again thinking the police were going to arrest her.”
A Bit Better
Demanding An Apology
After two stressful visits from the police, Kathryn has demanded an apology. She has requested from the Greater Manchester Police as well as Rochdale’s public health chiefs to apologize for the incidents that she has said were “overkill.”
Demanding An Apology
Their Response
A spokesperson from the Rochdale Council who heard about the incident explained: “Where the national track and trace team is not able to contact someone to confirm isolation, the details are passed to councils to be dealt with locally.”
Rochdale Council
The Protocol In Place
The spokesperson continued: “It is important that people carry out their legal duty to isolate so that other people are protected from the virus. By speaking to people who are isolating we are also able to establish if they need any support, like food shopping, so it is really beneficial for people to engage with the track and trace system.”
The Protocol In Place
Making Amends
However, the spokesperson has also assured the public that they “have spoken directly with the family and offered our support to them.” Hopefully that will be enough for Kathryn and her family to move on from the stressful situation.
Making Amends
What The Police Say
The Greater Manchester Police said in a statement: “The process undertaken with the NHS track and trace service is not usually conducted by GMP, unless there is a breach. This means that the local authority will be contacted first if someone has not answered the calls made from the NHS to check if they are isolating as required.”
What The Police Say
Suspected Breach Protocol
The police continued to explain: “By working in partnership with the local authority, police officers will then be asked to attend as there has been unanswered calls and a suspected breach to carry out the checks and issue a fixed penalty notice if required. Any engagement will be done directly with the person who has been asked to self-isolate.”
Suspected Breach Protocol
Their Side Of The Story
“In this instance when an officer attended on Monday night we established that the isolation request had been adhered to and the officer was satisfied that the original NHS request had been met,” the police said.
Their Side Of The Story
The Reasoning Behind It
The police also wanted to make sure they clarified why these visits happen at all. They said: “These checks are also conducted on welfare grounds as having to self-isolate could impede someone’s ability to get food or essential items so it’s important they are continued in-line with national guidance.”
The Reasoning Behind It
More Troubles
This is not the only incident in which parents involved with an isolating child were faced with trouble from the police. A family in Wiltshire were faced with a massive fine after COVID guidelines were broken, and the case got quite out of hand.
More Troubles
The Party
While his parents were away, an 18 year old decided to host some friends in the family home despite COVID restrictions that were in place at the time. While gatherings of 30 people or fewer were allowed, the teen invited about 80-100 people over.
The Party
It Got Out Of Hand
According to the teenager, he had only invited a few of his friends over, but things got out of hand when word had spread that there was an empty house and a party going on. Before he knew it, there were nearly 100 people over at the house.
It Got Out Of Hand
The Police Showed Up
Police officers were called and they arrived at the address of the party. They asked the guests to leave and vacate the house. However, their request was totally ignored, forcing them to shut down the party by force, send the partygoers home, and fine the host.
The Police Showed Up
A Massive Fine
The teenager was given a 10,000 pound ($13,685) fine for breaking COVID guidelines. When his parents were informed of what had happened, they were absolutely furious at both their son and the law enforcement.
A Massive Fine
Their Argument
While they were angry at their son for hosting the party and admitted that he was acting “stupid,” they said the fine is absolutely an overreaction. They said that the party had surpassed the legal limit of guests because of party crashers and argued that it was not their son’s fault.
Their Argument
Refusing To Pay
The parents have also said that they will not pay the exorbitant fine and will even take the situation all the way up to the Supreme Court if need be. They argue that he did not intentionally break the rules, so they should not have to pay the huge fine.
Refusing To Pay
What His Father Says
The parents filed a complaint to Wiltshire Police and told a solicitor to take on the case. The teenager’s son argues that the party getting out of control was not his son’s fault, but rather the drunken party crasher’s faults instead.
What His Father Says
Speaking To The Press
The father told the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: “He was utterly stupid. He ignored our instructions and the government advice. He is very chastened. But they were gatecrashed. This is a completely new law.”
Speaking To The Press
A New Law
The father continued to argue: “We have never had legal restrictions on the number of people in a house before. This could go to the Supreme Court as to whether you can legally impose a criminal penalty when the majority of people were gatecrashers.”
A New Law
The Rules
At the time of the party, the COVID restrictions clearly stated that only 30 people were allowed to attend indoor gatherings. Of course, these rules are constantly changing, so it is difficult sometimes to keep track of what it allowed.
The Rules
Hand Out Fines
Legally, police officers are allowed to hand out £10,000 to anyone who breaches COVID restrictions, including organizing an illegal gathering. Furthermore, they are allowed to hand out these fines without an appeals process.
Hand Out Fines
Ongoing Matter
While the parents are vowing that they will not pay the fine and will take the matter to court, Wilshire Police have issued no public comment as they said the “matter is ongoing.”
Ongoing Matter
A Huge Rave
In another instance of broken COVID restrictions, officers were tipped off about a large indoor gathering in Hackney in January 2021. According to reports, the police tried to engage with the rave’s organizers, but they were ignored multiple times, forcing the police to dole out about £15,000 in fines.
A Huge Rave
No Choice
The police shared that though they tried to engage with the event’s organizers, but the doors blocked them from getting inside. They did not have a choice but to start giving out fines. About 78 people received a £200 fine for breaking regulations.
No Choice
A Serious Matter
Chief Superintendent Roy Smith, who was at the scene, shared: “This was a serious and blatant breach of the public health regulations and the law in relation to unlicensed music events.”
A Serious Matter
Risking Their Own Health
He continued: “Officers were forced, yet again, to put their own health at risk to deal with a large group of incredibly selfish people who were tightly packed together in a confined space – providing an ideal opportunity for this deadly virus to spread.”
Risking Their Own Health
The Protocol
“Our frontline officers continue to police this public health crisis with compassion and professionalism but it is completely unacceptable they have to face such needless risks to their own health and to their families too. Whilst we will always seek to engage and explain, the message to those who have a total disregard for the safety of others and breach the law so blatantly is clear, our officers will act swiftly and decisively. Not just organizers, but all those present at such illegal parties can expect to be issued a fine,” Officer Smith explained.
The Protocol