Jerseyman fined £6k for breaking Guernsey isolation rules

Monday 20 July 2020

A travelling Jersey resident has been fined £6,000 by a Guernsey court after breaking his 14-day compulsory quarantine on the island by visiting a hairdressers, toy shop and café.

Gareth Le Monnier travelled over to Guernsey on board the Channel Chieftain on Friday 3 July, and was legally required to isolate for the following two weeks under the island's covid policy for new arrivals.

However, when Police conducted a welfare check on Wednesday 16 July - two days before his quarantine period was due to elapse - Le Monnier did not come to the door and did not answer his phone.

Officers called his wife and it turned out that Le Monnier was at an appointment with authorities for an unrelated matter.

Le Monnier had told them that he had already completed his self-isolation period, and, when asked if he would breach the requirements, he reportedly said: "I would never do that."

But that was proven to be false. 

Pictured: Information is collected from all passengers arriving into the Bailiwick.

Witnesses gave evidence that Le Monnier had been to places including Toni & Guy, Creasey's Toy Shop and Waitrose Café on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 July.

He appeared in the island's Magistrate's Court this morning to be sentenced for the breach.

Le Monnier's lawyer handed Judge Graeme McKerrell a letter from her client, which he did not want read out in open court.

Judge McKerrell dismissed Le Monnier's mitigation, saying he had acted selfishly and put his own needs before others. 

"This was a knowing and deliberate breach. I have read the letter but working out when 14 days expires is not rocket science."

"You have put your needs and the needs of your family before the wider public good, but it is the wider public good that has to prevail."

Self Isolation Breach Prosecution

A £6,000 fine was imposed by the court this morning to someone who breached self-isolation after arriving in Guernsey.

This is not a drill. This is the fight against Coronavirus

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— Guernsey Police (@GuernseyPolice) July 20, 2020

Judge McKerrell said the punishment had to be "substantial" in order to act as a deterrent to others.

He went on to explain that the fact Le Monnier felt fine and had no symptoms was no excuse, as it is well-known that people can carry the virus and transmit it to others despite being asymptomatic themselves. 

"You have been selfish across the board," Judge McKerrell said.

Le Monnier was subsequently handed a £3,000 fine for the breaches on 15 July and the same amount on 16 July, totalling £6,000.

Following the sentencing, Guernsey law enforcement officials clarified the procedure for new arrivals on the island.

Pictured: Fines of up to £10,000 for quarantine breaches can be issued in Guernsey.

“Information is collected from all passengers arriving into the Bailiwick including those who have an approved exemptions such as critical workers, compassionate travel or those travelling under the business tunnel scheme," a spokesperson explained.

"These individuals are not required to self-isolate for 14 days however they do have restrictions allocated on a case-by-case basis as part of their exemption which are specifically issued to protect the community from harm.”

Guernsey's Court is able to dish out fines of up to £10,000 for self-isolation breaches, following a change in the law last month. 

Last month, a Guernsey resident was fined £6,000 for breaches after returning to the island.