POLICE issued Covid fines totalling £11,000 on Monday night in response to seven house parties in the Holyland area of south Belfast.
Chief Inspector Gavin Kirkpatrick said officers attended addresses "where large numbers of young adults had gathered" between 8pm on Monday and 4am on Tuesday.
"We also responded to a number of reports of groups of young people playing music loudly and drinking in the street.
“As police officers attended a number of addresses to provide advice and guidance around potential breaches of Covid-19 health regulations, 55 Covid 4 notices were issued alongside 19 Covid 2 notices.
"Three people under 18 years of age received community resolution notices and one 16-year-old was brought home to their parents.
“We have also begun preparing files to be forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service regarding the behaviour of 14 individuals who had previously received a Covid 4 notice."
He said police deployed significant resources and have brought forward plans for St Patrick’s Day.
“It is disappointing and difficult to understand how some people think the current health regulations and restrictions do not apply to them. It is also apparent that some parents and guardians need to take more of an interest in what their young people are doing," he said.
"This is a residential area and understandably, local people are fed up having to live with this type of behaviour.
“Our message is very clear. All students or anyone visiting the Holyland area must follow the latest Covid-19 health and safety advice and specific guidance regarding houses of multiple occupancy provided by the universities.
“Police will continue to respond to every report and every incident in a proportionate manner. That can mean issuing a penalty notice, a community restorative notice, ultimately through to arrest. In the case of the behaviour of some students, we will also make referrals to their educational establishment, and this could have a significant impact on their educational career.”
Details emerged as police released updated figures on the enforcement of Covid regulations over the last year.
There have been a total of 2,101 Covid 1 penalty notices and 3,441 Covid 4 notices - higher £200 fines introduced last autumn.
There have also been 224 commercial and 1,310 private Covid 2 prohibition notices issued for gatherings in breach of restrictions.
A total of 57 Covid 3 fines of £1,000 fines have been issued for failure to isolate after travel or having received a positive test result.
There have also been 68 Covid 5 penalty notices issued to businesses and/or premises for breach of regulations. Fines start at £1,000 but can go up to £10,000,
Four penalty notices of £200 have been issued for failure to wear a face covering without reasonable excuse and there have been 2,105 community resolution notices issued in the last 12 months.
