Yahoo News Bus passenger fined £1,700 for failing to wear mask two days in a row
A bus passenger has been hit with a £1,700 fine after refusing to wear a face covering on two separate occasions.
Frederick Adomako-Frimpong was given the hefty penalty after failing to wear a mask two days in a row.
Adomako-Frimpong from Stratford in east London appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Friday.
He was said to have offered "no reasonable excuse" for not wearing a face mask at Stratford bus station on July 15 and was stopped by staff the following day for the same reason.
The 49-year-old was given a combined fine of £1,710 after not paying his £100 fixed penalty notice within 28 days.
The same court charged several others with similar offences on Friday, including Samrian Kamara, 30, from Westminster who was also ordered to pay £194 for not wearing a mask on July 15.
Kamara, a pregnant mother-of-three, claimed she had dropped her face mask while running to catch the bus.
She also claimed that she was "exempt" from wearing a mask because she was pregnant.
It comes after police chiefs in the North West of England warned last week that they will clamp down heavily on anyone flouting restrictions during the new national pandemic lockdown.
They are also threatening to increase pursuit of those who are caught breaking coronavirus rules and refuse to pay fines.
Watch: Sage expert criticises tiered approach to lockdown restrictions
A joint statement from chief constables across the North West read: "Sadly we have seen a minority right across the North West who seem incapable of demonstrating any civic responsibility and complying with the regulations.
"We know from focus groups and regional insight work the majority of the public would wish to see the police service taking a consistent and robust approach to enforcement.
"To the minority who feel the restrictions don't apply to them, be prepared to face the consequences of greater levels of enforcement.
"We will collectively target those who flout the restrictions, particularly those organising large gatherings and music events, repeatedly holding parties or deliberately causing harm to our communities by not following the restrictions, such as self-isolating where necessary."
From the start of the first lockdown in March until three weeks ago, police forces in England and Wales had issued more than 20,000 fines.
Six weeks ago, police chiefs reported that half the fines had not been paid.
