Man fined £2,000 after buying bottle of water when he should have been self-isolating

A man was fined £2,000 for buying a bottle of water after he visited a newsagent when he should have been self-isolating.

Chef Sanjeev Kumar, 31, had agreed to isolate for two weeks after arriving at Guernsey Airport from Southampton.

During the 10-minute walk from the airport to a hotel on Rue des Croise, where he had been working for the past two years, Mr Kumar stopped off at a shop to buy the drink.

However, the hotel's housekeeper recognised him in the Forrest Stores newsagents and informed authorities. Police officers later found Mr Kumar in a chalet at the hotel, where he admitted he had been in the shop.

Judge Graeme McKerrell, at Guernsey Magistrates' Court, ordered Mr Kumar to pay a fine of  £2,000, saying a clear message needed to be sent that any breach of the regulations would not be tolerated.

The judge said he did not understand why Mr Kumar could not have waited another five minutes as that was all it would have taken to walk down the hill to the New Manor hotel, telling him: "You did an extraordinarily foolish thing, given that you were only a short distance away from the hotel."

Mr Kumar had attempted to buy water at Southampton Airport, but all the shops were closed, as was the Guernsey Airport shop, the court heard. However, there was a fresh water drinking fountain at the airport which he could have used, said prosecuting advocate Jenny McVeigh.

After completing his two-week isolation period, Mr Kumar had gone to police headquarters, where he was charged.

Defending him, advocate Domaill said his client  was very apologetic and regretted his error of judgement.

Judge McKerrell gave Mr Kumar credit for his guilty plea and being of previous good character, and also for volunteering that he had been to the shop when questioned by police. The judge told the court he was prepared to impose a reduced fine of £2,000 or 100 days in prison.